I had several reasons for not rushing out to read Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
1. The book was immensely popular. Occasionally, this is indicative of quality, as in the case of Freakonomics. More frequently, widespread popularity is indicative of terrible writing. Case in point: The Da Vinci Code; Harry Potter.
2. It is possible to feel like you’ve read the book without ever laying eyes on it. At least, that’s how I felt after watching a Malcolm Gladwell clip on Ted, attending a Radley Yeldar presentation rife with Blink anecdotes, and reading numerous references to Blink in newspapers and magazines.
3. New books cost too much money. This is especially true in South Africa, where a new book costs as much as a three-course dinner at a fine restaurant, but is still generally true of the rest of the world.
Curiosity got the better of me when I saw Blink available in the library at work. (Note that libraries are, in general, a very good way to avoid conflict with reason three.)
Blink is great. It’s better than any quotations you’ve read in articles, and there’s more in it than any man can pack in a PowerPoint. It’s well written, interesting and thought-provoking.
Moreover, Blink doubles as a book on relationship advice. One of the primary examples Gladwell explores in the book is a scientist who analyses interactions between married couples and then predicts whether or not they’ll eventually get divorced. The science is solid, correctly predicting marital fate in more than 90 percent of cases. Feeling a little unsure about your partner? Read Blink to find out what sort of behaviour is a “deal-breaker” for couples who divorce.
Perhaps you’re happy with your love life? Well, then maybe you need to read Blink because you’re a bit racist, and you don’t want to be. I’m not pointing any fingers; we profile people all the time, whether we want to or not. Blink explains how that process works and how to train ourselves out of racist tendencies. This is important, substantive stuff.
Perhaps you’re neither racist nor passive-aggressive toward your mate? Don’t worry, there’s plenty more in this book for you. It’s a fast read, educational, entertaining, and currently available for a four-week lease from Launch. Consider it recommended.
Image credit: chefranden