Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Summary Of The Book
In Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell explores the depths of human intuition and how anyone can develop the ability to make quick, yet accurate decisions. These decisions are termed as snap judgements in the book, and the author makes a case for how snap judgements can be more efficient than reasoned decisions, which require deliberation.

The author terms the instinctive side of our mind as the adaptive unconscious. This is the part of the brain that we use for rapid cognition, and for quickly picking out the finer details that matter from among a host of variables.

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking isn’t just about the analysis of this phenomenon. Malcolm Gladwell reveals the secret behind using the power of snap judgements in everyday life. He also attempts to detail the different kinds of situations where these decisions are a bad idea, such as the shooting of Amadou Diallo in 1999.

Another phenomenon that the author talks about is called thin slicing. This is the ability to cut out a slice of relevant information from amidst the chaos of information, which presents itself in the first instant that a decision needs to be made. Through studies, he highlights the truth behind whether experts make their best decisions based on instinct or if information analysis still trumps the former.

Conclusions in this book are put forward through a diverse set of examples. The power of intuition is attributed to specific events, like when artists can tell if a historic artifact is fake within an instant, or how a commander used World War II technology to out-maneuver the collective strength of the US armed forces.

About Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is a journalist, speaker and bestselling author whose work explores academic findings on psychology, sociology and social psychology.
His other books include The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference, What The Dog Saw: And Other Adventures and David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.
Malcolm Gladwell’s writing process revolves around the analysis, interpretation and representation of valuable research. He has earned a place in the minds of his readers as a credible source by shunning personal opinion, and instead relying on research findings to tell the story. As his work tends to rely on scientific research, one of his greatest strengths is his ability to talk about scientific data in a way that anyone can understand.
Malcolm Gladwell was born in Hampshire, England and from the age of 6 he has spent most of his life in Ontario, Canada, where his family relocated. He was recognized for the second-highest form of honour for merit in his country, by being appointed to the Order of Canada.