TOW #8 - Blink TOW #2

In his bestseller, Blink, Malcom Gladwell digs deep into the human conscience and discovers the true reasoning for why we think the way we do. In his 2nd nonfiction book regarding psychology, he discusses the quick judgments that people make and why they occur. In response to his first novel, The Tipping Point, many people have wondered why the sociological changes in everyday life happen, and he addresses these people and enlightens them with facts, stories and questions to think about, dealing with human intuition and its effect on the world. He then wants his audience to act in response to their judgments, whether it be a change in mindset or a change in perspective. In order to educate his audience about "the power of thinking without thinking", Gladwell uses anecdotes and quotes from credible sources throughout the entire text. The anecdotes really made the entire book quite intriguing and he talks of a variety of different things, including marriage counseling, food tasters, and the seemingly never-ending Coca-cola vs. Pepsi battle. One towards the end of the book talked of gender equality in symphonies and how in the past, conductors believed that men just sounded better than women. He says, " Musicians were identified not by name but by number. Screens were erected between the committee and the auditioner… and as these new rules were put in place around the country, an extraordinary thing happened: orchestras began to hire women" (250). This is a prime example of how the snap judgments of others have a major effect on society, one of Gladwell's central arguments. He quotes various sources, thus appealing to ethos. Regarding the symphony anecdote, he uses quotes from established musicians, quoting, " 'The very first time the new rules for auditions were used, we were looking for four new violinists,' remembers Herb Weksleblatt, a tuba player for the Metropolitan Opera in New York… 'And all of the winners were women. That would simply never have happened before. ' " By using quotes from those with firsthand experience, he establishes his credibility and appeals to ethos throughout the entire text. I found this entire book very interesting, and I do believe Gladwell achieved his purpose. His countless examples made it easier for the reader to relate and I found myself reconsidering my intuition and snap judgments. Throughout Blink, Malcolm Gladwell encourages readers to consider their mindsets and discusses the importance of acting if a change needs to be made.