Final answer:
Luck is an uncontrollable, chance occurrence, while skill is a learned and reproducible proficiency. Gladstone Gander's experiences are characterized by luck because his positive outcomes are not the result of deliberate actions. By contrast, grit and perseverance, as aspects of skill, can lead to consistent success and can be purposefully developed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concepts of luck and skill differ fundamentally in terms of control and reproducibility. Luck is often seen as a chance occurrence beyond one's control, as exemplified by fortuitous accidents that lead to scientific discoveries or theoretical frameworks like luck egalitarianism describe differential outcomes based on uncontrolled circumstances. On the other hand, skill implies a learned proficiency, often honed through practice and effort. Grit and perseverance are skills that studies have shown to be essential for long-term success and can be developed and improved over time, unlike luck.
In the case of Gladstone Gander, a fictional character often depicted as incredibly lucky, it's the consistent, improbable positive outcomes that happen to him, without his deliberate action, which exemplifies luck. If such outcomes were the result of deliberate practice or developed ability, it would then be apt to describe him as skilled. However, since his advantageous situations are not from his direct actions or efforts, they are attributed to luck and not skill. Luck egalitarianism addresses the thought that people should live with the consequences of their choices when given equal starting points, differentiating between outcomes influenced by decisions (reflecting skill or choice) and those that are outside of one's control (reflecting luck).
Exploring the influence of social support, as Gladwell suggests, highlights that no success is made in isolation, reinforcing that both external factors (luck) and internal factors (skill, effort) play roles in achievement. Grit, as a skill, embodies the deliberate persistence towards goals despite challenges, which, unlike luck, can be consistently applied to endeavors for reliable outcomes, as supported by educational research on achievement predictors.