The Tipping Point
By: Malcolm Gladwell
Post 2
My apologies... I haven't posted anything new in quite some time. I've been caught up in reading. I actually just finished The Tipping Point, and upon doing so, realized I had neither completed nor had I posted my second post for this book! I started it a while a go (and therefore it is written in the context of only having been halfway through at the time), but never finished it before I continued reading. Here it is! Expect the third and final post within a day or so!
The Tipping Point is going well so far. I've read just under half the book, and wanted to put out some fresh content! As far as I've read, epidemics or trends, however you wish to phrase them, are often set into motion or popularized by certain types of people. There are "Connectors," who know a lot of people, and are very socially connected. They create word-of-mouth epidemics, or epidemics that are spread verbally. They will usually be based upon the experience or hearings of the connector. There are also "Mavens." They are the well-informed trend starters. They know which products to choose and avoid, what locations to travel to, and why. They are continually absorbing information to add to their database of knowledge. These well-informed Mavens, as described by Gladwell, often feel the need to be helpful to others by sharing their information with others. This information can be passed by word-of-mouth, passing through everyday people, and connectors as well. Finally, there are "Salesmen." These are the charismatic, and persuasive group of people, who influence the passing of trends. Studies described by Gladwell show how in charismatic people like Salesmen, even a small gesture, like a smile, can affect the decisions people make, passing along trends and continuing epidemics in this manner.
If you've been having trouble understanding, don't worry, I had a little trouble understanding the concept the first time I read through it. The concept of these three people is probably more easily understood through examples. Paul Revere, famous for his late-night ride to warn the colonial militias of the coming British advance on Lexington and Concord, was both a Connector and a Maven. He was well-known by many, knew who to alert as he passed through each town (other Connectors and militia leaders), and was able to spread the word very efficiently. He also was an active participant in a colonial intelligence-gathering group, who spied on British movements, and therefore a Maven, spreading his knowledge for the benefit of others. An example of a Salesman would be Peter Jennings of ABC, especially during the 1984 presidential campaign. He, subliminally, and seemingly unconsciously, swayed the audience in the general favor of Ronald Reagan. It was not through the content that he broadcasted however, that he swayed audiences, but because of his varying facial expressions, which, however subtly, had been biased towards Reagan.
Overall, I have found his opinions to be fairly compelling. He provides a lot of data and statistics from various experiments, examples and studies to support the concepts of these types of people. For example, right off the bat in the first couple chapters, Gladwell uses the example of the New York Crime epidemic to illustrate what kind of epidemics he plans to discuss throughout the book. He uses statistics to show how significant epidemics can be, and also to hook the reader in, "In 1992, there were 2,1154 murders in New York City, and 626,182 serious rimes... At some mysterious and critical point, the crime rate began to turn. It tipped. Within five years, mruders dropped 64.3 percent to 770 and total crimes had fallen by almost half to 255,893" (Gladwell 5 and 6). I expect to see even more examples of such experiments as I move further into the book. In all honesty, this constant use of examples to both support his opinions and to keep readers, like me, interested is a very good strategy for the expression of his ideas. I find it very hard to disagree with anything he says.
I'm looking forward towards the end of the book, to see what other elements of trends and epidemics make them so interesting, popular, and "sticky."
Until next time,
Josh C.
I read The Tipping Point about a year ago, and it was the first Gladwell book I'd ever read. In the time since, I've also read Outliers and Blink. I agree with you that Gladwell is a compelling writer; he weaves the scientific studies with anecdotes seamlessly. It was a non-fiction book I often forgot was non-fiction! However, I wonder if that's necessarily a good trait. I'm sure that, for Gladwell, it is. He's trying to create mass appeal. Therefore, his books should be easy to read and understand, without being too dull. While I think his writing is a great introduction to the world of psychology/sociology, I wish he would go more in-depth. I appreciate his wish to tell a story through his writing, but I think he should incorporate more science. There are many writers trying to follow on his coattails -- tons of psychology books seeking to unravel the innocuous and mysterious ways of everyday life have cropped up since his success. I am beginning to distrust this heavily anecdotal, amazing-results-in-ten-days-or-your-money-back style of writing. As someone who is genuinely interested in how people and society work, I want to read something more science-focused. What's your take?
ReplyDeleteWould you say that you are a connector or a maven?
ReplyDelete