Have you ever met a new person and felt an instant connection? Have you been presented with a business idea and knew instantly it would fail? Does your first instinct often prove correct? Author Malcolm Gladwell writes about these unconscious hints your brain is sending you. By reading ‘Blink’ you will realize the power of first impressions and split second decisions and how they can be used to help you make better decisions in life.
A Book Summary
In today’s busy world it can be hard to find the time to sit down and read a complete book. This book summary presents just the most important and impactful ideas discussed in ‘Blink’ but removes the padding that publishers require their authors to add. You are left with a summary that will provide all of the core benefits of reading the full book but without the time commitment.
Book Synopsis
‘Blink’ discusses the premise of thinking without thinking. It explores our ability to make snap decisions in the blink of an eye, how our brain makes these decisions and how we can interpret them. It discusses our brain’s hidden ability to ‘mind read’ people by looking at their subtle facial expressions. It argues that thinking about problems for weeks may be less efficient than going with your initial gut feeling.
‘Blink’ explores the idea that the best decision makers in our world are not those that spend the most time deliberating but those who have perfected the art of ‘thin slicing’ – making decisions with relatively little information but all of their instincts. We meet a psychologist who can determine how long a marriage will last, within minutes, just by watching a couple converse. We learn about the failures in people’s snap judgments that saw ineffective president Warren Harding elected in 1920. ‘Blink’ is a fascinating insight into how the human mind works at its fastest.
The Author
Malcolm Gladwell is an author, journalist and cultural commentator. He was born in England to a Jamaican mother and an English father. He grew up in Canada and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in History. Gladwell has written for The Washington Post and the New Yorker writing articles ranging from early childhood development to what it takes to be cool. His bestselling book The Tipping Point captured the public’s attention with its theory that a tiny change can produce massive and unforeseen effects.