ipl-logo

The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell Analysis

774 Words4 Pages

In The Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell discusses “The Power of Context” (133), and suggests that the principles within our “heart[s] and the actual contents of [our] thoughts are less important…in guiding [our] actions than the immediate context of [our] behavior” (165). This means that regardless of our moral and rational impulses, our true behavior is affected by existing circumstances. I corroborate Gladwell’s assertion because of the behavior of those imprisoned at Stanford University, my own observations, and my spiritual excursion to Tennessee. Gladwell’s claim is reflected through an ample case study of imitated confinement at Stanford University. In the early 1970s, a long corridor in the university’s psychology building was transformed …show more content…

Along with around twenty other classmates, I aided in in the construction of two beautiful homes for two of the many impoverished families of Scott County. (Maybe another sentence). While in this impoverished, rural community, my typical impulses experienced changes. Prior to taking off from LaGuardia Airport, our chaperones directed us to leave all technology behind. We were not even allowed to have our cellphones for the week ahead, and therefore disconnected from the outside world entirely. Normally, I feel an urge to check my pocket to see if any alerts come to my phone; however, as the week progressed I began to do so less often. By the end of the week, my compulsion to use technology nearly vanished. Throughout the first few days after my return home, I periodically checked my cellphone far less often than I did beforehand. However, my habit has revived as a result of returning to our metropolitan area which has such a large reliance on technology. While in Scott County, listening to country music became a daily activity. This music became a wakeup call, a vocal activity throughout lengthy bus rides, a source of humor, and an accessory to times of reflection. The consistency of this music throughout the week took over my common impulse to alienate it and preference to hear either rock or rap music. Prior to this trip, I despised when my

Show More
Related
1180 Words | 5 Pages

In “Small Change: Revolution Not be Tweeted” by Malcolm Gladwell , Gladwell explains his own thoughts on why even in the age of technology social media will never be the strongest way to display activism. Throughout the article the author highlights what he feels makes activism work and what he feels may not work. He thoroughly explains his reasoning for his opinions by using rhetorical strategies. For example, he notes that for a cause to be effective the people pursuing it must have a strong tie or a strong connection to it. This can tie/connection can come from experiencing the problem first hand or having multiple friends or family already involved in the cause.

Read More
1074 Words | 5 Pages

After arguing the failure of prisons, Mendieta establishes his agreement with Davis’ anti-prison rhetoric without introducing the author, her book, or other various abolitionist efforts, “I will also argue that Davis’s work is perhaps one of the best philosophical as well as political responses to the expansion of the prison system...” (Mendieta 293). The article’s author also assumes that readers are familiar with specific torture tactics used on prisoners,“...the United States is facing one of its most devastating moral and political debacles in its history with the disclosures of torture at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and other such prisons…” (293). Mendieta’s act of assuming that readers will already be familiar with Angela Davis and her work, as well as the specific methods of torture used by certain prisons, may cause readers to feel lost while reading the

Read More
1262 Words | 6 Pages

In the article Small Change by Malcolm Gladwell he expresses his opinion upon how activism is dead, and “weak tied” social media activism is trying to take its place but is not strong enough nor efficient to takes it place. Gladwell’s actual thesis buried behind historical examples and personal thoughts appears on page… stating. “ f”. Weak ties, like the ones present in social media networks, “seldom lead to low-risk activism.” The author’s definition of a “weak tie” are associations that, while allowing people to “give voice to their concerns,” do not elicit individuals to take action; whereas a "strong tie" is one that allows people to bring about significant social change because of a deeply vested personal relationship.

Read More
1751 Words | 8 Pages

My understanding of the “American Dream” is a concept of migrating to the United States, starting from scratch, and becoming rich and successful by working hard. But after reading Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell change my perspective of the “American Dream” by providing the idea of luck and opportunity playing a major factor in one 's success. Almost all the success story of the immigrant in the book was by opportunity because of birth, chance by cultural background and circumstances. Gladwell changed my view of how the “American Dream” is accomplished, not solely by hard work, but luck and opportunity are what factor into someone accomplishing the “American Dream”. Reading Outliers, the main thesis or central premise of Gladwell on why some people

Read More
1265 Words | 6 Pages

Every year, thousands of pedestrians are injured as they walk in cities. Some researchers say 1 out of 10 of those injuries are caused by a “distracting mobile device such as a phone or portable music player” (“Walking While Looking down”). Undoubtedly, the risk for injury in a crowded city increases greatly when technology is a distraction. In this day and age, technology is all over the place, no matter where you are in a moments time, technology is all around you. Lots of times technology is used positively, but more often than not, technology is not used wisely and safely.

Read More
1042 Words | 5 Pages

behavior, learning and memory of an individual ( 1). While Dr. Noble noted the more affluent children possessed larger hippocampuses than their disadvantaged counterparts (Brain Trust 47), Hanson notes that the lifestyle of less affluent families affect the hippocampus negatively. For instance, maternal separation can negatively impact the hippocampus, I.e. working mother's. The lower the income a household has, the more stress it faces. Outstanding stress can have long-lasting negative effects on the hippocampus (1.).

Read More
1119 Words | 5 Pages

In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “A Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” he provides answers to fundamental metaphysical questions regarding the nature of the human soul. Though his letter is addressed to a group of eight clergymen criticizing his direct action campaign in Birmingham, his ultimate aim is the uplifting of human personhood. Underlying King’s letter is a philosophical, hylemorphic anthropology which puts an anchor deep into a certain conception of personhood, and binds all people who are to read it. He looks deeply at the nature of human beings, as rational creatures who are made to love and be loved, and from thence, deliberates that there is a universal Gospel of Freedom and Justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. asserts that there are universal principles justifying what actions are morally right and wrong, just and unjust.

Read More
365 Words | 2 Pages

In his newyorker.com essay, ‘Small Change,’ Malcolm Gladwell compares activism in the mid 1900’s to activism today. Thought the essay he shares many factual stories to prove the point that activism in the 1900’s was more effective. Malcolm says that the traditional activism had stronger-ties and more rules by a single authority figure which made things run smoothly and more organized. He also continues to describe todays activism as ‘social activism’ because of the social media aspect to it. He says that Social media isn 't very organize however can increase participation rapidly.

Read More
1556 Words | 7 Pages

Carr brings up the question of how our minds can be negatively affected by this when he asks, “So what happens to our minds when we allow a single tool such dominion over our own perception and cognition?” While Carr is aware that the smartphone serves a countless number of useful purposes and tasks, he believes we should think deeper about the lesser known effects of our smartphones which people so easily allow to take over their lives. Carr begins his article with statistics, stating that the typical smartphone owner checks on their phone over 80 times a day, which translates to almost 30,000 times a year. He calls smartphones our constant companions, comparing them to teachers, secretaries, confessors, and gurus. In fact, Carr includes a 2015 Gallup survey which found that “more than half of iPhone

Read More
776 Words | 4 Pages

Gladwell’s Argument in Outliers Success is a concept that is constantly altered and has a different meaning from person to person. The stereotypical definition of success would be someone who has a high-paying job or is in the upper-class. Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Outliers: The Story of Success, approaches the concept of success in a different and unique way. Gladwell discusses how opportunities, cultural legacy, and hard work all coincide with each other to produce real success. He uses mostly logic and multiple unrelated anecdotes to support and provide evidence for his statements.

Read More
1052 Words | 5 Pages

In his article, “Thresholds of violence” by Malcolm Gladwell, has effectively proven that the school shootings changed and they’ve became ritualized. From an incident, a group of three officers had arrived to the unit’s door step, and a young man stood in the center. The man became extremely defensive when one of the officers had to pat LaDue down. The officer had over heard that LaDue was making bombs in the storage locker, then had found a SKS assault rifle with sixty rounds of ammunition, a Beretta 9-mm, hand gun, including three ready-made explosive devices hidden in his bedroom. “There are far more things out in that unit than meet the eye” (Gladwell 2), exampling how there’s not only going to be a specific amount of bombs that would have

Read More
1128 Words | 5 Pages

The Minor Geniuses Introduction: “What the dog saw and other adventures” written by Malcolm Gladwell and published by Little, Brown and Company in 2009, presents nineteen articles by Malcolm Gladwell that originally were published in The New Yorker which are categorized into three parts. The first one, Obsessives, Pioneers, and Other Varieties of Minor Genius”, talks about what Gladwell calls “minor geniuses” (Gladwell, 2009) who are really passionate and good at what they do, but are not really well-know. Second one, Theories, Predictions, and Diagnoses, where demonstrates theories, or ways of organizing experience. Finally, the third part Gladwell examines the predictions and perceptions we make about people.

Read More
562 Words | 3 Pages

Rock and roll is just beginning to be accepted as an art form, as opposed to just another musical trend. It’s only been popular since the mid twentieth century. However, despite the genre’s young age, it has hugely impacted the US, and the rest of the world. It’s a versatile genre, one that each generation can make into their own. Due to this, it reflects the values of the past sixty years far better than classical or jazz music is able to, yet still appears to be resilient, not just a passing fad like pop music.

Read More
1066 Words | 5 Pages

As a fairly new technology, cellphones have become an essential to the everyday life of many individuals. More often then not, cellphones are what can make an individual successful or not. This meaning cellphones could make or break a career advancement, the wellbeing of an individual, or keeping children entertained while their parents are tending to errands or chores. In many situations, though, individuals become rapped up in the bells and whistles located in these devices we hold near and dear to our lives. Thus, I stand firmly resolved in an idea of which cell phone usage has progress to the point it does meet the definition of an addiction because its similarities with other types of addictions, the struggles associated with overcoming

Read More
778 Words | 4 Pages

Cell Phones Have you ever wondered why your parents would not get you a phone?. In Today’s technologically advanced world, it is pretty common that you have at least one or two connections between technology. However, most parents disagree assuming that technology is hurting the teen’s Childhood. Nevertheless, having a cell phone is a necessity in today’s modernized world. Some of the reasons are practicality, GPS tracking for parents to know where their kids are, and safety.

Read More

More about The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document