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The Tipping Point
29 Apr 2003 by Matthew Linderman
Well, if Jason Kottke was the last person in American to hear Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, then I guess I’m the last one to read “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell. If you’re unfamiliar, the book examines how ideas and behaviors and new products move through a population the same way a disease does. And it’s fascinating. Each chapter features a new anecdote or revelation that really makes you think about the world in a different way.
Gladwell’s site features some of his articles for the New Yorker and information about the book. Here he explains the title and how he first arrived at the idea for the book.
The word “Tipping Point”, for example, comes from the world of epidemiology. It’s the name given to that moment in an epidemic when a virus reaches critical mass. It’s the boiling point. It’s the moment on the graph when the line starts to shoot straight upwards. AIDS tipped in 1982, when it went from a rare disease affecting a few gay men to a worldwide epidemic. Crime in New York City tipped in the mid 1990’s, when the murder rate suddenly plummeted. When I heard that phrase for the first time I remember thinking--wow. What if everything has a Tipping Point? Wouldn’t it be cool to try and look for Tipping Points in business, or in social policy, or in advertising or in any number of other nonmedical areas?
14 comments so far (Post a Comment)
29 Apr 2003 | Chris said...
I recently read this book and would highly recommend it.
This book talks about their being three different types of people. They are connectors, mavens, and salesmen.
The connectors are people who collect people. They know people and are able to connect people and ideas and can't stop telling you about the people they know.
A maven is a person who collects information. These are the type of people who know everything about different product lines, they remember every little detail about things and cannot stop telling you about their latest find.
The last set of people are the salesmen and they're the people who have an uncanny ability to sell things.
Quite a good read, highly recommended.
- Chris over at BrainFuel.tv
29 Apr 2003 | Steve said...
Well, neither you nor Kottke are the last person on either account. Been meaning to add both of these to the collections, but other things keep bumping them out of the way.
29 Apr 2003 | jmmygoggle said...
On the subject of books... 37 signals seems to be all about doing the right thing and trying your best to get the right thing done.
I bought a book for my sister-in-law as a christmas gift a few years ago that was a rather in-depth book dealing with activism in the classroom (I can't recall the author or title).
Another book:
That's Not Fair!: A Teacher's Guide to Activism With Young Children
seems much more accessible for busy teachers who couldn't tackle the larger, more involved book, but still aims to encourage children to ask questions and learn more about the world around them with the understanding that free-thinking and their involvement is valuable.
What I find truly odd is the customer comments section where it seems some outside agenda has been employed to slam this book. Have these folks actually read the book? I have not read the book myself, but I'm wondering if these sort of attacks are common place on Amazon?
Sorry if this comment seems off topic but a connection happened as I read the post. I've never been one for blacklisting and prefer balanced and reasonable assessments even if the balance weighs in the negative. I'm astounded when people are motivated to ban a book from a library or attempt to negate something with extreme vitriol.
I do, however, love other peoples recommendations of literature and have benefitted immensely from it. The more personalized interaction of the web has put me in touch with so many positive, uplifting things that are good for me and others. I suppose this svn post has put another possibility on my lit waiting list.
29 Apr 2003 | Bill Bulman said...
Matt,
Dont feel like you are alone. I have been meaning to pick up the Tipping Point since last year, as every executive I have met in the past few months seems to quote it as if it is scripture.
Another book that everyone seems to be hot on, and that was a good read is The New Culture of Desire by Melissa Davis.
29 Apr 2003 | c tomas howell said...
Speaking of good books. I keep coming back to this one every few years... The Giver Starship Troopers is another one.
BTW, The Tipping Point is indeed an excellent book.
29 Apr 2003 | Peter Davidson said...
You should also try Seth Godin's Ideavirus. Similar ideas more concise conceptualization.
29 Apr 2003 | Darrel said...
What I find truly odd is the customer comments section where it seems some outside agenda has been employed to slam this book.
Whoa. That is scary. I've seen that before on a lot of Amazon books, too. The old Right wing/Left wing stupidity in our country, I guess.
29 Apr 2003 | dave said...
jimmygoogle:
This is OT, but wow.. I guess they nailed that book. And considering that its a 288 page book and 3 of the 7 reviews point to the teacher's "Blue Angels" project only, I'm guessing people are reacting to someone's review of the book without actually reading it.
I have been meaning to pick up the Tipping Point since last year, as every executive I have met in the past few months seems to quote it as if it is scripture.
Hmm.. that would usually make me *not* want to read the book. It does look interesting, tho tangentally related to my profession.
and I'm only 1/4 into Kottke's music...
30 Apr 2003 | Toby said...
For my wife, the tipping point is getting a refill of your water glass at the diner without asking.
I tip regardless.
04 Nov 2003 | Osoyoos B.C. said...
12 Nov 2003 | Casino Online said...
Can you give me the link where i can find Tipping point
17 Nov 2003 | world directory said...
nice site
11 Jan 2004 | Slot Buddy said...
On the subject of books... 37 signals seems to be all about doing the right thing and trying your best to get the right thing done.
15 Jan 2004 | Bingo said...
I liked the book but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Do you know where I could buy it. ?
