How The Great Become Great / Homepage

This website presents a concise, readable account of how the ‘great’ become ‘great’, of how everything from genetics and family dynamics to institutional ties and cultural crises affects the development of those who eventually become ‘great’. In particular it addresses the question of how it is that they – the Elvis’s and Einsteins, the Mozarts, Michaels, and Marilyns -- rather than millions of others with sufficient genetic potential, become the ‘greats’ of their generation.

As far as I am aware the analysis presented on this website is unique. There is no other such analysis of how the ‘great’ become ‘great’, an analysis which not only incorporates the existing research literature, but is also accessible to anyone reading this webpage. An analysis which has implications – devastating or liberating, depending on your point of view – not only for the likes of Einstein, Mozart, and the rest, but far more importantly, for anyone who’s ever dreamt about becoming ‘great’, spent years in the chase, or perhaps even now is lining up one or two of the next generation for a shot at the title. Since that seems to include a fair wack of the Western world these days, well like I said implications, devastating or liberating…

The analysis presented here is taken from a book manuscript I recently finished entitled, The Arrival of The Fittest: How The Great Become Great (Bill Dorris © 2004).

If you want further information on what's contained in the complete book, please go to Info re Book .

Re this website, probably the easiest way to proceed is to start with The Main Story, which will give you the whole thing in a nutshell, as well as links to all the Side Stories.

I probably should mention in advance that the material on this website represents only about one third of what is in the book itself. But not to worry, the whole analysis is here, as well as examples from the lives of, eg, Einstein, Hitchcock, Mozart, Marilyn, Elvis, Woody Guthrie, and others. What I've omitted here is virtually all of background research and a fair bit of the case study material which is presented and discussed in the book itself.

One other thing.

I know from years of work with university students in the course of preparing this book that it often raises serious questions, both personal and intellectual. If this happens for you, at whatever level, please feel free to email me any queries or comments you have (use email on Contact page). I will get back to you as soon as I can, in person or on the website (see: EndorsementsCommentsQueries).

if you want a bit of info re me: Brief Bio.

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