How do we make decisions--good and bad--and why are some people so much better at it than others? Thats the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus. Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers--in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.
Blink is about the first two seconds of looking--the decisive glance that knows in an instant. Gladwell, the best-selling author of The Tipping Point, campaigns for snap judgments and mind reading with a gift for translating research into splendid storytelling. Building his case with scenes from a marriage, heart attack triage, speed dating, choking on the golf course, selling cars, and military maneuvers, he persuades readers to think small and focus on the meaning of "thin slices" of behavior. The key is to rely on our "adaptive unconscious"--a 24/7 mental valet--that provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea.
Gladwell includes caveats about leaping to conclusions: marketers can manipulate our first impressions, high arousal moments make us "mind blind," focusing on the wrong cue leaves us vulnerable to "the Warren Harding Effect" (i.e., voting for a handsome but hapless president). In a provocative chapter that exposes the "dark side of blink," he illuminates the failure of rapid cognition in the tragic stakeout and murder of Amadou Diallo in the Bronx. He underlines studies about autism, facial reading and cardio uptick to urge training that enhances high-stakes decision-making. In this brilliant, cage-rattling book, one can only wish for a thicker slice of Gladwell's ideas about what Blink Camp might look like. --Barbara Mackoff
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Controversial idea with an enjoyable writing style:
From what I have read of negative reviews here- most people who don't like the book don't like it because they disagree with it. The idea itself is quite controversial, and I'm not sure I fully agree with Gladwell, but the manner in which he presents it is entertaining and enjoyable to read. His anecdotes do show some examples where "thin slicing" can come quite in handy, but he doesn't say this should overrule thought out processes- his point is that sometimes we can "thin slice" and be right, when... more info
Blink. Hello. Blink. Blink. You're Hired!:
As it's title suggests `Blink' is essentially about what happens within those first few seconds of meeting someone new. Reading the book, we quickly learn that first impressions are more important than we realize. Gladwell uses stories as diverse as dating scenes and military maneuvers to show us just how powerful a first impression is and then shows us how we can use this to our advantage. For a job seeker in particular, this can be a very powerful tool. Knowing how to give the right first... more info
Another fascinating subject!:
Having read The Tipping Point for our book club, I was looking forward to reading this book with the same group, and was not disappointed. Fascinating insights into a fairly obscure topic. Makes one really think about ones own prejudices and intuitions.
Entertaining but often confusing if you think too hard about it:
Although I found "blink" engrossing, Gladwell's talent as a writer often lets him get away with murder. The distinctions he makes sometimes seem arbitrary, particularly if one takes just a little more than 2 seconds to mull things over. Some of his extrapolations not only seem unjustified but mislead. For example, in his discussion of malpractice, Gladwell urges his patients to find their doctors "wanting" if they appear not to be listening or talking down. But the research on which Gladwell bases his... more info
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