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The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
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The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This wid ...more
The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This wid ...more
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Paperback, 301 pages
Published
January 7th 2002
by Back Bay Books
(first published 2000)
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Jonatan Bornarve
How about the fact that The Tipping Point was written five years before Freakonomics?
Kevin Masi
The company is W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., you can find various writings on the subject of 150 max size communities.
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Start your review of The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
This book is fascinating and I was disappointed to read that many other readers didn't think so. So here's my response.
I think those readers are approaching this book the wrong the way when they critisize Gladwell for his inability to prove his points thoroughly. Sure, Gladwell could have dotted every i and crossed every t and shown every counter-example to the theories he's proposing. There's a word for the books that accomplish that: BORING. Gladwell is a storyteller and he knows how to keep ...more
I think those readers are approaching this book the wrong the way when they critisize Gladwell for his inability to prove his points thoroughly. Sure, Gladwell could have dotted every i and crossed every t and shown every counter-example to the theories he's proposing. There's a word for the books that accomplish that: BORING. Gladwell is a storyteller and he knows how to keep ...more
This book grew out of an article Malcolm Gladwell was writing for the New Yorker. Frankly, it is better suited for a 5-7 page article rather than a 280 page book. The crux of the book is that the "stickiness factor" of epidemics (whatever the nature) begins with a tipping point. This tipping point arises because of three distinct sets of individuals: mavens, connectors and salespeople. He also examines the well-known S-curve which begins with innovators, then early adopters, followed by the earl
...more
Can I give this zero stars?
When I read this book, back in 2006, I got really mad and wrote a scathing review of it on Amazon.com. Here it is:
"I've been duped!, June 20, 2006
By Sarah (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This book sucks. Don't waste your hard earned money on it. Let me save you a few bucks here: Malcolm Gladwell is either a self-aggrandizing ass who is too busy thinking he is the god of marketing to notice that a great majority of his arguments lack any kind of cohesion or credib ...more
When I read this book, back in 2006, I got really mad and wrote a scathing review of it on Amazon.com. Here it is:
"I've been duped!, June 20, 2006
By Sarah (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This book sucks. Don't waste your hard earned money on it. Let me save you a few bucks here: Malcolm Gladwell is either a self-aggrandizing ass who is too busy thinking he is the god of marketing to notice that a great majority of his arguments lack any kind of cohesion or credib ...more
Really good book. It read like a bestseller (quick read), but had a lot of substance to stop and make you think.
three Rules of the tipping point: the law of the few, the stickyness factor, the power of context.
Law of the Few (people who influence):
- Connectors: super connectors (eg Paul Revere). William Dawes had the same mission as Paul Revere the same night but we haven't heard of him b/c Paul Revere was a super-connector & knew who to rouse.
- Mavens: A Maven is a person who has information ...more
three Rules of the tipping point: the law of the few, the stickyness factor, the power of context.
Law of the Few (people who influence):
- Connectors: super connectors (eg Paul Revere). William Dawes had the same mission as Paul Revere the same night but we haven't heard of him b/c Paul Revere was a super-connector & knew who to rouse.
- Mavens: A Maven is a person who has information ...more
How the flying fuck did this piece of shit ever get published? How on God's green earth did this thing become a bestseller?
Yes, I'm the last person in America to read The Tipping Point, and I'm glad I waited. Now that all the hype has burned off, it's easy to see this book for what it is: a very well crafted collection of half-truths and speculation, sold as "truth".
Let's look at one example. I read The Tipping Point as an ebook, so my pages might not match completely with yours, but it's the s ...more
Yes, I'm the last person in America to read The Tipping Point, and I'm glad I waited. Now that all the hype has burned off, it's easy to see this book for what it is: a very well crafted collection of half-truths and speculation, sold as "truth".
Let's look at one example. I read The Tipping Point as an ebook, so my pages might not match completely with yours, but it's the s ...more
I think missed the best by date for this book. It's more fun than an introductory course in sociology and covers some of the same material. Reminded me of Bellwether by Connie Willis and William Gibson's Blue Ant series. All looking for the point where people change behavior and a new trend begins.
I loved the part about creating the children's education tv programs Sesame Street and Blue's Clues. What worked with preschoolers, and what didn't.
It seems likely Gladwell relies on his enthusiasm for ...more
I loved the part about creating the children's education tv programs Sesame Street and Blue's Clues. What worked with preschoolers, and what didn't.
It seems likely Gladwell relies on his enthusiasm for ...more
Here’s why you need to read The Tipping Point. You don’t!!
Look, it’s not because the writing is poor, the concepts disorganized, or the book fails to instruct. It’s simply that the ideas are anachronistic. This is no fault of Malcolm Gladwell. He published in 2000, wrote in ‘99, and used case studies from the mid-90’s. How could he have known he was publishing a book about social media on the eve of social media’s inchoate move into our social DeoxyriboNucleicAcid, or that the overgrowth of soci ...more
Look, it’s not because the writing is poor, the concepts disorganized, or the book fails to instruct. It’s simply that the ideas are anachronistic. This is no fault of Malcolm Gladwell. He published in 2000, wrote in ‘99, and used case studies from the mid-90’s. How could he have known he was publishing a book about social media on the eve of social media’s inchoate move into our social DeoxyriboNucleicAcid, or that the overgrowth of soci ...more
Sep 26, 2019
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
business,
science,
economic,
self-help,
canadian,
literature,
21th-century,
non-fiction,
psychology
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell defines a tipping point as "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point". The book seeks to explain and describe the "mysterious" sociological changes that mark everyday life. As Gladwell states: "Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do".
عنوانها: «نقطه ی اوج»؛ «نقطه شروع»، «نقطه عطف»؛ نویسنده: مالکوم گلدول؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هفتم ماه آوریل سال ...more
Gladwell defines a tipping point as "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point". The book seeks to explain and describe the "mysterious" sociological changes that mark everyday life. As Gladwell states: "Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do".
عنوانها: «نقطه ی اوج»؛ «نقطه شروع»، «نقطه عطف»؛ نویسنده: مالکوم گلدول؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هفتم ماه آوریل سال ...more
I wish there was another word I could use instead of sexy. I mean it metaphorically, obviously, but I want to tell you about the thing that I find to be the most sexy thing imaginable – and I’ve realised that sexy isn’t really the word I should be using at all. You realise, of course, I’m talking about intellectually stimulating or satisfying when I say sexy. That is what I want to talk about – the thing that gives me my biggest intellectual buzz.
Look, it isn’t any of the obvious things you migh ...more
Look, it isn’t any of the obvious things you migh ...more
"But a small change is often all that it takes."
There are many schools of thought when it comes to interpreting the reasons behind why somethings 'stick', while others just exist in background. Malcolm Gladwell's own take on this is what The Tipping Point is mostly about. And it sure is interesting.
"Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push - in just the right place - it can be tipped."
This is a relatively short book - compa ...more
There are many schools of thought when it comes to interpreting the reasons behind why somethings 'stick', while others just exist in background. Malcolm Gladwell's own take on this is what The Tipping Point is mostly about. And it sure is interesting.
"Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push - in just the right place - it can be tipped."
This is a relatively short book - compa ...more
The book that became a catchphrase! The term "tipping point" has become so commonly used in news stories that I wonder how many people know it came from a book.
I read this back in 2000 when I was in grad school for sociology. It's a fun little book of case studies, many of which applied to what I was learning in my classes. Here it is 13 years later and I can still recall many of the details and theories, which shows how interesting I thought they were.
Gladwell, who writes for The New Yorker, h ...more
I read this back in 2000 when I was in grad school for sociology. It's a fun little book of case studies, many of which applied to what I was learning in my classes. Here it is 13 years later and I can still recall many of the details and theories, which shows how interesting I thought they were.
Gladwell, who writes for The New Yorker, h ...more
Sep 21, 2007
David
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
those interested in the transmission of ideas
Shelves:
science-philosophy
In a work heavily influenced by the budding science of memetics (though he never once uses the word meme), Malcom Gladwell seeks to provide a framework for explaining why certain isolated phenomena (suicide in Micronesia, wearing hush puppies, reading a particular novel) can suddenly become widespread and why situations can suddenly swing from one extreme (rampant crime in 80s NYC) to another (the huge drop in crime in that same city during the 90s). Gladwell postulates three mechanisms of cultu
...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Holy suppositions, Gladwell! There's a whole lotta coulds, may haves, apparentlies, perhapses up in here!
Malcolm Gladwell's basic premise in The Tipping Point: To explain how word-of-mouth is spread.
A couple of the examples he used were how crime was reduced in NYC under Giuliani's reign and how an old, dead-in-the-water brand of shoes seemingly suddenly were selling like hotcakes. But honestly, my favorite bit was the section on Sesame Street.
It's interesting stuff, no doubt with some truth to ...more
Malcolm Gladwell's basic premise in The Tipping Point: To explain how word-of-mouth is spread.
A couple of the examples he used were how crime was reduced in NYC under Giuliani's reign and how an old, dead-in-the-water brand of shoes seemingly suddenly were selling like hotcakes. But honestly, my favorite bit was the section on Sesame Street.
It's interesting stuff, no doubt with some truth to ...more
Malcolm Gladwell shows us with this book that he is a jack-of-all-trades (or intellectual disciplines) and master of none. He very loosely weaves together existing social science and economic research to support his thin idea that there is a "tipping point" in all epidemics. While it was a page turner and interesting to read, his glib conclusory statements interpreting others' research was a bit jarring... For example, use of the word "always" when describing a social phenomenon is not a practic
...more
It has a number of eye openers and will broaden one’s vision to see how little things matter so much.
A combination of lucid explanation with vivid (and often funny) real-world examples, the book sets out to explain nothing less than why human beings behave the way they do.
A combination of lucid explanation with vivid (and often funny) real-world examples, the book sets out to explain nothing less than why human beings behave the way they do.
Thoroughly enjoyed this easy to read non-fiction, business/sociology book. The author did a nice job putting information together in a clear, concise manner and I enjoyed the examples used throughout the book. Some examples used early on are carried through the entire book, i.e., Hush Puppies (shoe) fad, AIDS, etc.
The Tipping Point explains the phenomenon of why some products, businesses, authors, etc become hugely successful (tip) while others never seem to break apart from the masses as anythi ...more
The Tipping Point explains the phenomenon of why some products, businesses, authors, etc become hugely successful (tip) while others never seem to break apart from the masses as anythi ...more
I can see now that the
Freakonomics
boys took quite a few pages out of this book. The Tipping Point launched the trend of examining social experiments with results that are, to use Mr. Gladwell's phrase, "wildly counterintuitive". I breezed right through this one--the most popular books always seem to be quick reads--because I was so caught up in Gladwell's straightforward style of writing and fascinating subject matter. (I particularly enjoyed the Sesame Street/Blue's Clues experiments.) T
...more
To understand "The Tipping Point," one must understand what led to its creation: In 2000, there were 5.5 billion people living on the planet Earth. Many of them were considered human beings, but a few were thought to be celery. The difference between the two categories bewildered the top dog breeders of the day.
To help us think more deeply about the consequences of the problem, consider the following fact: If you were born after 1975 and tried to ride a bicycle from Iceland to Darfur, the chanc ...more
To help us think more deeply about the consequences of the problem, consider the following fact: If you were born after 1975 and tried to ride a bicycle from Iceland to Darfur, the chanc ...more
This is Gladwell's most thorough book. It has everything that I wanted from Outliers and Blink: research, diagnosis, and a clear call to action. Although admittedly, the research is not quite as fun as it is in his two following books.
If I had Gladwell's attention, I would ask him this: How do you capitalize on your role as either a Connector, Maven, or Salesmen? And what if you are none of the above, but rather a part of the phenomenon-following mob? Can you aspire to a different role than the ...more
If I had Gladwell's attention, I would ask him this: How do you capitalize on your role as either a Connector, Maven, or Salesmen? And what if you are none of the above, but rather a part of the phenomenon-following mob? Can you aspire to a different role than the ...more
1 Start - Horrible book.
Yes, yes, even though I started this yesterday I did actually finish it. And after doing so, I regret reading this.
Full disclosure, the subject matter didn't really interest me but I've been wrong before so I gave it a go. I'll never be able to get back those precious reading hours.
There are two things that make this book, in my opinion, unreadable. The first is that the concept/central theme of this book is nothing new. Now, I know this was published ca. 2000 so I'm abo ...more
Yes, yes, even though I started this yesterday I did actually finish it. And after doing so, I regret reading this.
Full disclosure, the subject matter didn't really interest me but I've been wrong before so I gave it a go. I'll never be able to get back those precious reading hours.
There are two things that make this book, in my opinion, unreadable. The first is that the concept/central theme of this book is nothing new. Now, I know this was published ca. 2000 so I'm abo ...more
I first read about this concept several years ago in a New Yorker article that discussed the theory of epidemics as it relates to crime, particularly the power of context. A book (Fixing Broken Windows Restoring Order and Reducing Crime in Our Communities by George Kelling) proposed that police should spend more time dealing with the little things, e.g., arresting people for public drunkenness, going after the street hookers small-time dope dealers, rather than putting resources into the high-pr
...more
The tipping point', an analysis of that magic moment when ideas, trends, social behaviours etc. tips over, and spread like nobody business sometimes into becoming mainstream. An interesting theory… I liked the examples and note that this much more than just a book of examples. To me, I liked the breaking down of how something started and grew to something more from the likes of Sesame Street and rumours through to sneakers and New York crime! The magic number 150 chapter is thought provoking, al
...more
I was one of those a-holes that referenced this book to my friends in casual conversation, over and over and over again right after reading it. I'M REALLY BRIGHT, I JUST READ MALCOLM GLADWELL, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HUSH PUPPIES AND SESAME STREET. That said, it was one of my favorites in college and I still enjoy Gladwell's stuff, unashamedly.
...more
This book deals with epidemics, both medical and social. It explains the principles of epidemic transmission. Gladwell uses examples such as syphilis, suicide, AIDS, teenage smoking, and crime reduction. He looks at how and why certain products “catch on” in popular culture. He examines advertising methods and receptivity to new ideas.
Gladwell explains the differences between connectors, mavens, salesmen, & translators. I am particularly interested in psychology and sociology, and this book rel ...more
Gladwell explains the differences between connectors, mavens, salesmen, & translators. I am particularly interested in psychology and sociology, and this book rel ...more
This is a book on epidemics. In this book, Malcolm tries to explain, with the wit, clarity and beauty you'd expect from him, the way something small and insignificant turns into a huge wave. The book started slow and gradually became more and more interesting. I loved chapter 7, which was partly about smoking. I always knew there was something fundamentally wrong about anti-smoking campaigns. Turns out I was right!
Here I just want to note the beauty of mass data gathering. Without mass data, th ...more
Here I just want to note the beauty of mass data gathering. Without mass data, th ...more
I've heard Malcolm Gladwell speak a few times at Harvard and had been interested to read The Tipping Point for a while. It's a mixture of anectdotes, psychology, economics, marketing, epidemiology and more.
The principle focus of The Tipping Point is how small changes, can bring about large effects. With examples such as marketing of Hush Puppies shoes, the broken windows theory, Airwalk shoes, Paul Reveres midnight ride, word of mouth, mass hysteria and more.
Gladwell really captures the spirit ...more
The principle focus of The Tipping Point is how small changes, can bring about large effects. With examples such as marketing of Hush Puppies shoes, the broken windows theory, Airwalk shoes, Paul Reveres midnight ride, word of mouth, mass hysteria and more.
Gladwell really captures the spirit ...more
I bought this book for half price at Borders. I should have thought to myself: "Hey, there's probably a reason this book is on the half price table." But I didn't. I bought the book. The best way I can describe this one is to remind people of what it was like to take an essay exam for a liberal arts course in college. You have a full hour to fashion a coherent thesis out of the trivia you've learned over the past five months. So you come up with a topic sentence, build up a head of steam, and st
...more
This was third Malcolm Gladwell book I read and also similar to others which I wanted to read for a long time. This one deals with statistics and how there is a critical point in spread of anything idea or virus that can make it successful or a failure and with various examples Mr. Gladwell successfully pushed his ideas forward from Independence of USA to resurgence of a Shoe Brand to Shows for Kids to Teenage Smoking to Teenage Suicide. This one was the book which I felt can be used in Marketin
...more
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Malcolm Gladwell is the author of five New York Times bestsellers—The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and David and Goliath. He is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content company that produces the podcasts Revisionist History, which reconsiders things both overlooked and misunderstood, and Broken Record, where he, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlam interview musici
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“The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”
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