Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Finished (E-Reader) - "David and Goliath" - Malcolm Gladwell



I think Malcolm Gladwell missed the mark on this book.

I really liked the stories he told (e.g. privacy-fictionalized accounts of getting into a 1st tier college, explorations of dyslexia, loss of parents, etc.).  All had aspects of the miraculous to them, but all also carried a needed message that all was not bleak, that there were lessons to be learned that could propel to "normalcy" or beyond.
The recognition that most thinks aren't a linear relationship - none is bad, some is good more is better, too much is bad) which he illustrates in class size (there is an optimum, too many or too few are harder to handle), harsh criminal penalties (too harsh begins to have drawbacks which outweigh the benefits, particularly if cost is considered), wealth (too much creates problems with parenting) and so on.

Where the book loses me is the seeming need to assign "positive" attributes to these success stories.  It is great that compensating for dyslexia provided some excellent skill sets that made a few folks very successful.  But does it make sense to even formulate the question "would you want your children to be dyslexic?"?

I find this odd - isn't the "life lesson" that there are few dead ends enough?  Isn't the belief Stephen Hawking has that he wouldn't have had the drive to be as successful without his disabilty enough?  Do you really want to ask him whether he wants other to experience Lou Gehrig's disease?  (Stephen Hawking in not in the book but certainly could have been)

I found the artificial drive for this type of structure detracted from the tone of the book - it actually interfered with the lessons that could have and should have been drawn.

The re-telling and analysis of the biblical David and Goliath story was very interesting - the "slinger" vs. "foot soldier" military analysis that would predict a "David" win over a "Goliath" due to superior weaponry and tactics is not one I'd heard before.  That does change the tone of the story, but not the way Gladwell wants to spin the rest of the stories - most of the stories aren't really "better weaponry" stories they are more "glass half full" or "when life gives you lemons you make lemonade" stories.

I'd still recommend the book - each chapter is an interesting read - I'd just avoid some of Gladwell's analysis.

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