Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking By Malcolm Gladwell

As expected, this is another easy read, well-researched, and written by Malcolm Gladwell. Fascinated by the power of a blink when we make instant decisions and why

`Blink’ is about the mysterious two seconds it takes to develop a first impression and how surprising the impression often is, given our known preferences and tendencies. Malcolm Gladwell got the idea for this book after he had let his hair grow long on a whim, and found he was getting speeding tickets for the first time in his life. He wondered why the cops all of a sudden had an impression of him that wasn’t there before. He became curious: where do first impressions come from anyway?

Gladwell does some interesting investigative work to try to get some answers to that intriguing question. He suggests that `rapid cognition’ is behind a `closed door’ in our minds and follows certain unwritten rules. It is a logical process that he feels is not instinctual, but, surprisingly, can be more accurate than deliberate, rational thought, and follows certain rules that we are not even aware of. (Even improvisational comedians follow certain rules, though what they do often seems so random.) One must be careful though, since stereotyping and the immediate environment at the moment can influence the impression. All of this mental background action is going on without our even knowing it! The `closed door’, it turns out, can only be peaked into.

There are lots of very good examples of `blink’. There is the case of the statue that didn’t look right to experts at first glance. Fourteen months later, after much testing, it was discovered by other experts that the statue was a forgery. Then there was the case of the supervisory fireman who yelled to his men to leave the building immediately minutes before it collapsed; he sensed something was wrong when it was not at all obvious what it was. Another example has to do with internationally known and respected tennis instructor who can almost invariably tell when a pro will double-fault just before the serve is hit, and he doesn’t know how he does it! Speed dating often shows people being attracted others that do not fit their criteria of what they are looking for, for reasons they are fuzzy about. All of this is very mysterious, to say the least.

Information and understanding are not the same things and sometimes less information is better. He gives very good examples of this in the medical and military fields. He talks about the `power of the glance’, the ability of a great general to look at a battle field, weed through all the information, and make a rapid decision; he gives a great example of this in Lee’s improbable victory at Chancellorsville. “Sometimes, we have to edit” our information down to something manageable, and make a decision on that. This was very counter-intuitive to me, and I’m sure, something to approach with caution. But I can’t argue against results and he gives good evidence that it works.

Be aware that first impressions can be misleading. Spontaneous decision making is shown to be not infallible, and can even be dangerous at times; stereotyping can supplant logical decision-making in a time-crunch. He goes into some detail about this with an instructive example of a police action in the Bronx that went awry. Gladwell said in the interview at the end of the book that he tried very hard to make this point. Rapid cognition can be your enemy as well as your friend. Use it with caution.

It is tricky knowing how to measure the value of a product or a performer. Packaging can count too much, a great example of which is what he calls the `Warren Harding Error’, a fascinating section of the book. Also, when surveying the response to a product, an opinion can’t always be comfortably expressed in words (except by the experts), and as a result, some people will tend to look for a plausible reason, and give an incorrect opinion. The mystery of why someone likes something can’t always be codified.

This was a fascinating book that does not pretend to give all the answers but does raise some really good questions about a mysterious and important subject. The so-called `locked door’ is finally getting its due.

Blink is another thought-provoking book by Malcolm Gladwell that examines the power of our subconscious minds to make quick and accurate judgments. Gladwell argues that sometimes, our intuitive decisions are more reliable than those based on deliberate thought.

Key themes and concepts:

The power of intuition: The book explores how our subconscious minds can process information rapidly and make accurate judgments without conscious deliberation.
The dangers of overthinking: Gladwell argues that excessive analysis can sometimes lead to poor decision-making.
The importance of context: The book emphasizes the role of context in shaping our intuitive judgments.
Examples explored in the book:

The ability of experts to make quick and accurate judgments based on a brief glance
The role of intuition in interpersonal relationships
The challenges of making decisions based solely on conscious thought
Why this book is important:

Understanding decision-making: Blink provides valuable insights into the complex ways in which our minds make decisions.
Practical applications: The concepts presented in the book can be applied to various fields, including business, leadership, and personal relationships.
Engaging storytelling: Gladwell’s writing style is engaging and accessible, making complex ideas easy to understand.
If you’re interested in learning more about the power of the subconscious mind and the art of decision-making, Blink is a fascinating read.

Compré este libro como un auto regalo de Navidad, no lo he terminado, lo que llevo hasta ahorita me parece muy reflexivo e interesante. Su tamaño es adecuado para llevarlo a casi todas partes; no es aburrido su contenido y tiene buen precio.