The Tipping Point
Review by Yiting Shen
The book made me realise what my value is in the community. I have learned the word "Maven" and consider myself as one. Gladwell brilliantly highlights 3 rules of epidemics: the law of the few, the stickiness factor, the power of context.
The Law of the Few emphasises the importance of connectors, mavens, and salesmen. 6 degrees of separation, and not all the degrees are the same. When it comes to new info, "weak ties" are always more important than the strong ones. What sets mavens apart is that mavens are not only obsessed about getting the best deals but also are eager to tell you. A Maven is someone who wants to solve others' problems by solving his own and vice versa, a Maven is someone who solves his own problems - his own emotional needs - by solving other people's problems. Emotion goes not only inside-out (I feel happy so I smile) but also outside-in (If I can make you smile, I can make you happy). Mavens can have an enormous amount of influence over others- they're emotionally contagious. They have ties with many groups. They are translators who take ideas and information from a highly specialised world and translate them into a language the rest of us can understand.
The Stickiness Factor uses Sesame Street as an example to illustrate that making small but critical adjustments in how info is presented can create stickiness. A clear targeted audience is also important as what appeals to one group could be the distraction for the other. Sesame Street targets both children and their moms/adults. The kids cannot understand the constant punning, pop culture references, e.g. the presence of the humour, like the elaborate pun on "distress."
The Power of Context suggests that the convictions of one's heart and the actual contents of ones thoughts are less important in guiding one's actions than the immediate context of ones' behaviour even though that fact appears to violate some of our most deeply held assumptions about human nature. The features of our immediate social and physical world play a huge role in shaping who we are and how we act. If one wants to bring about a fundamental change in people's belief and behaviour, one needs to create a community around them, where those new beliefs could be practiced, expressed and nurtured.
In summary, starting epidemics requires concentrating resources on a few key areas. Band-Aids solve an array of problems with the minimum amount of effort and time and cost. I applaud the Modesty. Those who are successful at creating social epidemics do not just do what they think is right. They deliberately test their intuitions. Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action. I'm on my way. ]]>
The book made me realise what my value is in the community. I have learned the word "Maven" and consider myself as one. Gladwell brilliantly highlights 3 rules of epidemics: the law of the few, the stickiness factor, the power of context.
The Law of the Few emphasises the importance of connectors, mavens, and salesmen. 6 degrees of separation, and not all the degrees are the same. When it comes to new info, "weak ties" are always more important than the strong ones. What sets mavens apart is that mavens are not only obsessed about getting the best deals but also are eager to tell you. A Maven is someone who wants to solve others' problems by solving his own and vice versa, a Maven is someone who solves his own problems - his own emotional needs - by solving other people's problems. Emotion goes not only inside-out (I feel happy so I smile) but also outside-in (If I can make you smile, I can make you happy). Mavens can have an enormous amount of influence over others- they're emotionally contagious. They have ties with many groups. They are translators who take ideas and information from a highly specialised world and translate them into a language the rest of us can understand.
The Stickiness Factor uses Sesame Street as an example to illustrate that making small but critical adjustments in how info is presented can create stickiness. A clear targeted audience is also important as what appeals to one group could be the distraction for the other. Sesame Street targets both children and their moms/adults. The kids cannot understand the constant punning, pop culture references, e.g. the presence of the humour, like the elaborate pun on "distress."
The Power of Context suggests that the convictions of one's heart and the actual contents of ones thoughts are less important in guiding one's actions than the immediate context of ones' behaviour even though that fact appears to violate some of our most deeply held assumptions about human nature. The features of our immediate social and physical world play a huge role in shaping who we are and how we act. If one wants to bring about a fundamental change in people's belief and behaviour, one needs to create a community around them, where those new beliefs could be practiced, expressed and nurtured.
In summary, starting epidemics requires concentrating resources on a few key areas. Band-Aids solve an array of problems with the minimum amount of effort and time and cost. I applaud the Modesty. Those who are successful at creating social epidemics do not just do what they think is right. They deliberately test their intuitions. Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action. I'm on my way. ]]>
by Chris Anderson
I'm still yet to finish this one. The UK version has a golden cover, very shiny. The online free version is not available for int'l readers. what a shame!
Thanks for sharing all the wonderful book reviews :-)
Holiday greetings from London! ]]>
Yiting Shen
read and liked
Nathan's
review of Free: The Future of a Radical Price:
"A great read about the economics of free. It covers the history of free in the "atom" realm and how it is different in the "digital" realm where zero marginal cost reigns and resource are abundant and often "too cheap to mete...more "
"A great read about the economics of free. It covers the history of free in the "atom" realm and how it is different in the "digital" realm where zero marginal cost reigns and resource are abundant and often "too cheap to mete...more "
bookshelves: to-read
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"Can't wait to finish and write a proper review to share with you"
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bookshelves: currently-reading
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get to read the personalities of the founders and the things they get thru... feels quite real - of course inspired.
Great pictures in the middle! ]]>
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It took me almost a year to finish reading this book, and it is still shorter than a woman's soul searching journey. I really enjoyed reading the Eat section in Italy. Some of the fun lines to share:
"A language I find more beautiful than roses"
"Ah, Rome! Beautiful Rome! I love Rome! Pretty Rome! She listened to my primitive rhapsodies with skepticism."
"Happiness inhabited my every molecule."
"This is a women (her sister) who keeps the Columbia Encyclopaedia in her kitchen next to the cookbooks- and reads it, for pleasure."
"...continuing her sweeping as though nothing had happened. While I stood there quietly drowning in two rivers of happiness at the same time."
I've prayed for others in West Africa but never got into the level of intensity as in the book.
Everybody has their own love stories - it doesn't have to be as glamorous and/or utopian. We keep our own version in our hearts :)
Thanks to Hajeong Y for the special gift.
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