Over about three days in June, I read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, which was lent to me by Veronica. I absolutely loved this book. There was something new and fascinating on nearly every page, many of which I have already brought up in conversations. The premise of the book is that we make split-second, unconscious decisions which are frequently as accurate or more accurate than the more thought-out decisions we make with our conscious mind. As someone with a tendency to over-analyze and not trust what feels right, it was a shock to me that people actually perform worse on tasks when they are asked to explicitly state their reasoning.
Although understanding and experience enhance our ability to make these quick decisions, Gladwell wisely notes that in our over-saturated information age, "we have come to confuse information with understanding." He draws imaginative and insightful parallels between war, salesmanship, marriage, and improv and the way that our neural networks process information that really shaped how I think about the unconscious. I can't wait to read some of his other books.
Ok, you peeked my interest. I am first in line for checking it out of the fabulous Topeka Public Library. They will put the book, with my name on it, on a special shelf, then email me to come pick it up. What a great library! I hope the book measures up to that level of satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteOh no! So much pressure. I hope you like it. It is a really interesting read. And that sounds like a great library. The San Antonio library will evidently let you check out audiobooks via download (sort of like you do with the Kindle) but the formats are weird.
ReplyDelete