Blink | Teen Ink

Blink

February 13, 2009
By Audra Jones BRONZE, DALLAS, Texas
Audra Jones BRONZE, DALLAS, Texas
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Blink

'The Power of thinking Without Thinking' presents an enlightening approach to the way we construct opinions and our basis of decision making. Malcolm Gladwell demonstrates the use of thin slicing with several examples throughout the book of labs and real life scenarios of people who are able to use and breakdown this tool, illustrating how our minds can make snap judgments and ultimately the right choice with little or no further information than what one can notice in the blink of an eye. These multiple examples further prove that by only looking at the basics of a problem or case and ignoring the outside variables and extra information that many find themselves overwhelmed with, you are able to solve or figure out anything with more accuracy and consistency.
One of the outstanding qualities of this novel is the amount of in-depth research and effort Gladwell put forth to validity each of his statements. The numerous examples and patterns Gladwell gives also allow his novel to grasp a strong backbone supporting his ideas and conclusions with evidence and facts. Every idea and summary that Gladwell comes to in Blink is backed by his strenuous research including tests done by doctors such as cardiologist Lee Goldman and Italian art historian Federico Zeri, making each of his points valid and available for further reading and research. Another strength to Gladwell's novel is the potential for every reader to mold into one of his theories. All of the idea's and demonstrations in Blink on the ability to make a decision without actually thinking about what you are doing are acts that can be carried out by any ordinary person making any age group, sex, orientation or interest group able to understand and relate to what Gladwell is talking about. A sixty year walking in looking for a quick read will find the same interest in Blink as a fourteen year old looking for a school book because they are all able to understand and try for themselves the act of thinking without thinking, making Blink a terrific choice for all audiences.

Upon reading Gladwell's discoveries though, you do find that each statement is overworked and repeated throughout the whole book making his ideas seem almost redundant at times. While this is not a negative point that degrades the entire novel, it does make it difficult to scan from one topic to the next considering the emphasis he puts on each. You find that once you start a chapter it is challenging to start focusing on the next idea he presents to you, even if it is on the same lines as the previous one, because of the sheer amount of detail and repetition he put into the last conclusion.
Malcolm Gladwell's novel Blink, the Power of Thinking Without Thinking gives the reader the opportunity to look into his or her mind and see for themselves how powerful our brains and thought processes really are whether it be in how we stereotype different cultures or how we perform a heart surgery, the mind has a great ability to set standards and decide things without our even knowing it yet.


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