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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This book feels like a bit of a roller coaster ride.
I’m not really sure what constitutes as a “stranger” to Malcolm Gladwell. It feels like everyone is a “stranger” to Gladwell—but I couldn’t tell ya, because he doesn’t tell you. He’s onto something, but he’s only just scratching the surface.
Gladwell uses pretty harrowing accounts (like, Sandra Bland’s death, Larry Nassar, Jerry Sandusky, Brock Turner, etc.) to illustrate his point. I kept feeling like he missed the point with some of them—in trying to focus on the strangers dilemma, he sees only that in isolation. There’s an argument that my critique is actually just me making assumptions about Gladwell (a stranger?!) and then assuming that my view on what is the “point” is the right view—given Gladwell talks about coupling. But I can’t help but feel something is off with his analyses and my folly is my inability to articulate what.
Gladwell is definitely right about one thing—and this is the quote I read in a yarn about Sam Konstas in the Sydney Morning Herald by Geoff Lawson that convinced me to read this book for the first time years after I bought it: “We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy.”
You’re right—I shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the guy I met on Hinge. I’ll text him back, thanks to you.
I’m not really sure what constitutes as a “stranger” to Malcolm Gladwell. It feels like everyone is a “stranger” to Gladwell—but I couldn’t tell ya, because he doesn’t tell you. He’s onto something, but he’s only just scratching the surface.
Gladwell uses pretty harrowing accounts (like, Sandra Bland’s death, Larry Nassar, Jerry Sandusky, Brock Turner, etc.) to illustrate his point. I kept feeling like he missed the point with some of them—in trying to focus on the strangers dilemma, he sees only that in isolation. There’s an argument that my critique is actually just me making assumptions about Gladwell (a stranger?!) and then assuming that my view on what is the “point” is the right view—given Gladwell talks about coupling. But I can’t help but feel something is off with his analyses and my folly is my inability to articulate what.
Gladwell is definitely right about one thing—and this is the quote I read in a yarn about Sam Konstas in the Sydney Morning Herald by Geoff Lawson that convinced me to read this book for the first time years after I bought it: “We think we can easily see into the hearts of others based on the flimsiest of clues. We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy.”
You’re right—I shouldn’t jump to conclusions about the guy I met on Hinge. I’ll text him back, thanks to you.
I don’t usually read stuff like this but it was ok.
Rec: sub for english and math 2024
Rec: sub for english and math 2024
Very interesting as always. I think he really misses the Caste impact of our culture, however.
Interesting ideas and things to ponder in the future as I meet strangers and evaluate my own assumptions about them. This is the first Gladwell book I’ve read, so I’m not sure if this is typical, but it read to me like academic research or social commentary. I think I was expecting something more practical but it did give me things to think about.
3.25/5 stars
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand the topics discussed (coupling, default to truth, myopia, transparency, mismatch, reliance on face-to-face impressions) were really interesting, but on the other hand there's something really gross about limiting each case study to one of these topics without discussing the other factors at play. In particular, I really despised how the sexual assault cases were talked about, and I think Gladwell himself could use a few lessons on what consent is because it is not as grey as he believes it to be.
CW: suicide, sexual assault (graphic), torture
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand the topics discussed (coupling, default to truth, myopia, transparency, mismatch, reliance on face-to-face impressions) were really interesting, but on the other hand there's something really gross about limiting each case study to one of these topics without discussing the other factors at play. In particular, I really despised how the sexual assault cases were talked about, and I think Gladwell himself could use a few lessons on what consent is because it is not as grey as he believes it to be.
CW: suicide, sexual assault (graphic), torture
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
I somewhat enjoyed this book until I got to sections where there was blatant victim-blaming in cases of SA. EXTREMELY disappointed with that part of the narrative.
simply characterizing abuser/victim(survivor) interactions as misconceptions is such a gross understatement and does not showcase the gravity of such a situation at all. additionally, characterizing Sandra Bland’s death as a “misguided” interaction with a stranger does little to showcase the racism being shown to Bland during her interaction with the officer. I am extremely disappointed in this book and the gross misrepresentation of survivor/abuser interactions. I don’t know about yall, but my abuser(s) didn’t do things to me because of “misunderstandings,” and I certainly will never see it as such.
simply characterizing abuser/victim(survivor) interactions as misconceptions is such a gross understatement and does not showcase the gravity of such a situation at all. additionally, characterizing Sandra Bland’s death as a “misguided” interaction with a stranger does little to showcase the racism being shown to Bland during her interaction with the officer. I am extremely disappointed in this book and the gross misrepresentation of survivor/abuser interactions. I don’t know about yall, but my abuser(s) didn’t do things to me because of “misunderstandings,” and I certainly will never see it as such.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Addresses interesting situations where interactions with strangers go wrong. Insightful and well done.
informative
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced