IRB TOW #1: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

In his number 1 national bestseller, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell discusses "the power of thinking without thinking" and provides the reasoning for rapid decision making. A renown nonfiction writer and journalist, Gladwell has completed multiple works, many of which are concerned with sociology and psychology. His first novel, The Tipping Point, discusses sociological changes that occur in everyday life and in Blink, he explains why these changes occur. Throughout history, many have wondered why quick decisions and judgments arise and Gladwell speaks to these people, answering their questions with facts, stories and personal opinions. Throughout the text so far, he has strategically used many rhetorical devices like anecdotes and hypophora. In the introduction, he tells the story of a kouros, an ancient Greek sculpture of a nude male youth, and the J. Paul Getty Museum. In this anecdote, the Getty Museum wants to purchase this statue but many experts advise them against it, denying its authenticity, despite scientific evidence of its age. It's in this story that he introduces the central topic of Blink, quick decisions and judgments. He says, "What did Harrison see? She didn't know. In the very first moment, when Houghton swished off the cloth, all Harrison had was a hunch, an instinctive sense that something was amiss" (5). Gladwell's use of this anecdote helps him to introduce his topic and provide a strong example its applicability. In order to educate his readers in a coherent way, Gladwell also uses hypophora. When talking of marriage analysis, he says, "If couples aren't aware of how they sound, how much value can there be in asking them direct questions? Not much, and this is way Gottman has couples talk about something involving their marriage…" (39). By asking a question at the beginning of a paragraph and then providing an answer, Gladwell uses hypophora to answer questions and to easily transition from one topic to another. He uses these strategies in order to educate, stir questions and to provide facts of decision making. Based on the information I have read so far, Gladwell has already achieved this purpose. Although I am still reading, I have learned more about psychology and the reasoning behind various decisions. In Blink, Malcolm Gladwell informs his audience of many aspects of cognition and effectively writes to leave an impression of the influence that decisions have on our everyday lives.