"That certain groups do much better in America than
othersas measured by income, occupational status,
test scores, and so onis difficult to talk about.
In large part this is because the topic feels racially
charged. The irony is that the facts actually debunk racial
stereotypes. There are black and Hispanic subgroups in the
United States far outperforming many white and Asian
subgroups. Moreover, there’s a demonstrable arc to group
successin immigrant groups, it typically dissipates
by the third generationpuncturing the notion of
innate group differences and undermining the whole concept
of 'model minorities.'"
Mormons have recently risen to astonishing business success.
Cubans in Miami climbed from poverty to prosperity in a
generation. Nigerians earn doctorates at stunningly high
rates. Indian and Chinese Americans have much higher incomes
than other Americans; Jews may have the highest of all.
Why do some groups rise? Drawing on groundbreaking original
research and startling statistics, The Triple
Package uncovers the secret to their success. A
superiority complex, insecurity, impulse controlthese are
the elements of the Triple Package, the rare and potent
cultural constellation that drives disproportionate group
success. The Triple Package is open to anyone. America
itself was once a Triple Package culture. It’s been losing
that edge for a long time now. Even as headlines proclaim
the death of upward mobility in America, the truth is that
the oldfashioned American Dream is very much alivebutsome
groups have a cultural edge, which enables them to take
advantage of opportunity far more than others.
Americans are taught that everyone is equal,
that no group is superior to another. But remarkably, all
of America’s most successful groups believe (even
if they don’t say so aloud) that they’re exceptional,
chosen, superior in some way.
Americans are taught that self-esteemfeeling
good about yourselfis the key to a successful life. But in
all of America’s most successful groups,
people tend to feel insecure, inadequate, that they have to
prove themselves.
America today spreads a message of immediate
gratification, living for the moment. But all of America’s
most successful groups cultivate heightened discipline and
impulse control.
But the Triple Package has a dark underside too. Each of
its elements carries distinctive pathologies; when taken to
an extreme, they can have truly toxic effects. Should
people strive for the Triple Package? Should America?
Ultimately, the authors conclude that the Triple Package is
a ladder that should be climbed and then kicked away,
drawing on its power but breaking free from its
constraints.
Provocative and profound, The Triple Package will
transform the way we think about success and achievement.