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Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
| Our Price |
$ 31.18
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| Retail Value |
$ 39.98 |
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$ 8.80 (22%) |
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| Item Number |
441421 |
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Item Description...
Overview
Explores the process by which people make decisions, explaining how the difference between good and bad decision making is directly related to the details on which people focus, and offers advice on how to improve decision making skills. |
Item Specifications...
Dimensions: Length: 1" Width: 5" Height: 5.5"
Weight: 0.45 lbs.
Binding CD
Release Date Jan 1, 2005
ISBN 1586217194
EAN 9781586217198
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Availability 21 units.
Availability accurate as of May 30, 2012 03:17.
Usually ships within one to two business days from Momence, IL.
Orders shipping to an address other than a confirmed Credit Card / Paypal Billing address may incur and additional processing delay.
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Reviews - What do our customers think?
 | Not quite sure of the intent Dec 14, 2008 |
| As the 976th reviewer of this book,, there is not much new to add here. My perception was that I really don't know what Gladwell was attempting to say. Is "thinking without thinking" good or bad? More to the point, he presents information that supports both sides of the argument but no conclusions. Use it, don't use it, useful characteristic not useful? Answer: sometimes, but when is not evident. Additionally, Gladwell throws a lot of white noise into the mix. Things that don't seem to have relevance to what he is presenting (or not presenting). Like how too much information can sometimes interfere with decision making or how stressful situations make you "mind blind". Though the anecdotes were interesting, neither is about "thinking without thinking". Gladwell implies that "thinking without thinking" has characteristics of being instinctual, then says instincts can be cultivated through experiences then provides information that instincts are frequently wrong, then provides examples of how critical thinking can be wrong so I am left with the same question? What was the intent of the book? I don't necessarily need a roadmap, but it would have been nice to know the destination. | | |  | A Letdown, Whether You Thin-Slice It Or Analyze It Dec 12, 2008 |
I was looking forward to reading Blink. The combination of an interesting topic and critical acclaim had me excited.
The first few chapters of Blink were moderately intriguing. Gladwell seemed to be getting at the point that thin-slicing (drawing instantaneous conclusions subconsciously) is both powerful and accurate. Then the book starts to wander though and the reader is presented with many examples of thin-slicing being incorrect and even deadly. Gladwell then wraps it up (sort of) by offering that sometimes thin-slicing yields correct conclusions and sometimes it yields incorrect conclusions. Really? That seems like a trivial thesis and one that I probably didn't need to read 300 pages to reach. The material in this book could have been parsed significantly and served as the basis of an article, with greater final effect than this book.
Although there are some good stories along the way, I doubt many readers will find it hard to put this book down at points. Those that truly enjoy it will probably do so more for the anecdotes than because it offers any deep insight. | | |  | Brilliant account of rapid cognition Dec 11, 2008 |
This is probably the best book (rather I listened to the unabridged audio version) on RC I have come across.
I am regularly talking to clients about rapid cognition or rather gut feelings because they are so important and so many people reject their own and live to regret it. Malcolm Gladwell takes a laymans approach to a technical subject and hits bulls eye after bulls eye.
If you want to know why you sometimes make brilliant snap decisions and how valuable that ability can be, read this book.
| | |  | Arguable positions and conclusions, but fascinatingly told Dec 9, 2008 |
| One of the main reasons, I think, that Gladwell is such a popular author in a field like business psychology is that he's a terrific storyteller. This study of the way our minds create first impressions, the way we "thin-slice" in just a few seconds, or even fractions of a second, to draw conclusions about people and situations, especially in times of stress, is thoroughly fascinating, largely because of the case studies he describes in making his point. For instance, a thoroughly trained, deeply experienced art historian can look at a painting or statue and know almost instantly whether it's a fake or not -- even if he can't describe *how* he knows. It's this ability that has enabled the species to survive. But it also sometimes gets in the way of rational, preferred behavior. An autistic, for another example, lacks this ability to "read minds" from instant, authomatic analysis of facial expressions, a skill learned in infancy, and is dependent on explanations by others. Gladwell also gives us the real history behind the Pepsi Challenge and how the Coca Cola Company managed to fail so badly with New Coke. (It was confusion between the "sip test" vs. the "drink the whole can test.") And he examines the reasons for the killing of Amadou Diallo by a car full of New York City cops. (Not innate racism so much as complete failure of the cops' training.) And, finally, he describes in considerable detail "Millenium Challenge," the vastly expensive war game conducted in 2002, how and why the Blue Team (representing the U.S.) was savaged by a retired Marine Corps general heading the Red Team -- and how the results were were then refused and perverted by the Bush Pentagon for its own ends in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. This is the author's second book and he continues to both fascinate and educate. | | | | An enjoyable read but does it do what it claims to do? (also known as the 972nd review of this book) Dec 6, 2008 |
Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" is an enjoyable read - I breezed right through it and found it to be a book that I would look forward to opening up. Gladwell does a masterful job of weaving together 3 or more points at the same time without losing the reader and frequently leaving me amazed at his organizational skills.
That being said, does Blink get the job done? Does he prove his thesis about "The power of thinking without thinking"? Yes and no. He starts out with a great example of a supposed piece of Greek art that may or may not be a real piece of ancient art. His thesis plays out well there, with his comments on why certain musicians make it and others don't and his comments on police and the need to think quickly are all strong.
His arguments about Paul Van Riper and the war game he won, however, were more about the power of de-centralized decision-making versus centralized planning, in my opinion. Nonetheless, it's a good read and well worth your time. | | | Write your own review about Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
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