Why do we like Malcolm Gladwell?

Who is Malcolm Gladwell

@Mikewlf337 The guy who wrote Blink, The Tipping Point and The Outliers

I think it’s his anecdotal style that covers a large range of interesting ideas. I’ve recently heard that his conclusions aren’t particularly well-supported by the evidence, but he does at least expose you to interesting new ideas.

I prefer Dan Ariely’s work myself. His writing style has some similarities to Gladwell, but I believe it’s backed by better research.

I like him because he thinks out of the box. His conclusions are a bit too simplistic but then his writing is populist.

@tranquilsea What makes his writing populist?

He is writing to snag a vast majority of the population. If he didn’t write like that hardly anyone would have heard of him. I’m mainly thinking of his first book here, “The Tipping Point”. But that was the book that threw him into the public arena.

@tranquilsea Tipping Point is the one book of his I haven’t flipped through…

@papayalily thanks for the info :)

I think he looks at data in a new way and comes up with interesting – if somewhat simplistic – concepts. The “tipping point” was not a term or even a concept before he postulated it: Outliers is another book book with an original slant; this time on what makes a successful individual.

He takes a huge question and gives you an easily digestible theory or answer. You may agree or disagree but at a minimum you will know his position and how he got there. He makes a well informed point without being argumentative.

I also think it’s genius to basically make each chapter a new example. Then he breaks those down with a pretty standard formula – 1) Cleverly worded hook 2) thought process including the incorrect directions he may have gone or assumptions that need to be examined as well 3) conclusion and review

You don’t need to be well versed in the subject to feel like you come out with a better understanding and maybe even an informed opinion of your own.

@funkdaddy You got it….expressed Gladwell’s genius perfectly.

He does cover a wide range of topics. I loved reading about the world of food tasting in the Tipping Point. My feeling is that his breadth exceeds his depth.

@LostInParadise Perhaps if you had been reading Gladwell’s articles in The New Yorker magazine for the last 20 years, you would not think his breadth exceeds his depth.