Blink by Malcolm Gladwell dives into those split second decisions that we make everyday. Something deep in our subconscience allows us to make quick and accurate decisions without even a thought.
Gladwell shares numerous examples through stories, research, and case studies that show how people have been very successful or complete failures at utilizing this rapid thought process.
I checked this book out from the library a few weeks ago and I’ve had a hard time getting pulled into its content. Most of the stories he tells left me asking how it could apply to me. Fortunately, the person who had the book before me had left little pencil marks in the margins where Gladwell makes his main points. Because of this I was able to skim most of the book and extract the tidbits of knowledge that were scattered throughout. For example:
- Gladwell outlines how people can make accurate decisions in a fraction of second but then have difficulty explaining why they made them. Once you become an expert at something, you can make those quick decisions and then explain the logic behind it.
- In marketing, product packaging leads people to form opinions about the product itself. Feelings, sensations, or thoughts about the product are all jumbled together in the consumer’s mind and therefore “the product is the package and the product combined.”
Gladwell makes some intriguing points and recounts several interesting stories throughout this book. However, I was never engaged enough to read it cover to cover.