Malcolm Gladwell's 'What The Dog Saw'

Malcolm Gladwell’s “What the Dog Saw” People’s reliance on the straw man theory is prevalent in today’s world, and is an adequate yet shallow way of expressing one’s opinions and denouncing the counterarguments. The straw man theory occurs when someone ignores a person's position and instead exaggerates, misrepresents, or creates a distorted version of that position. Malcolm Gladwell, like many other authors of opinion-based pieces of literature, uses this theory as a method of persuasion. Gladwell’s “What the Dog Saw” uses this theory as a method of persuasion. Gladwell, using this writing technique, builds a common belief up, then proceeds to knock it down; some argue if this method is effective.Gladwell incorporates the straw man theory into most of his essays; including “The Ketchup Conundrum” and “Something Borrowed.” To begin, "The Ketchup Conundrum" presents the question, "Why is there only one specific type of ketchup, yet many variations of other condiments?" In this article it is explained how Jim Wigeon, a ketchup connoisseur and entrepreneur, conducted research and came to the conclusion that most people continued to buy the same brand because they “had been eating bad ketchup their whole life!” (Gladwell 35) The resolution is simple, he said, create a better ketchup, just like the way he had created a better mustard. This conversation alone, begins the method of straw man. Malcolm Gladwell uses this same method once again in

He uses the straw man in many instances, including in “Something Borrowed” and “The Ketchup Conundrum.” This theory is effective because it allows the reader to see both sides of the story; instead of only viewing one side. This minimizes the likelihood of biased reading. The straw man theory is necessary in writing, and it helps with the completion of all writing pieces, including in Malcolm Gladwell’s “What the Dog