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Started By
Message
Malcolm Gladwell
Posted on 4/6/19 at 10:53 am
Posted on 4/6/19 at 10:53 am
What is the fascination with him?
I was given a book recommendation to read one of his books and it is awful.He has " good points" but his stories, writing style and evidence for his hypothesis are garbage.
I was given a book recommendation to read one of his books and it is awful.He has " good points" but his stories, writing style and evidence for his hypothesis are garbage.
13
Posted on 4/6/19 at 10:54 am to Statsattack
If you blinked, you missed it.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 10:55 am to Statsattack
quote:wrong...tipping point
good points
Posted on 4/6/19 at 10:58 am to Statsattack
quote:
What is the fascination with him?
I think it is his hair
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:04 am to Statsattack
quote:
What is the fascination with him?
I dunno & I don't care, but I bet the people who do are on the Book Board.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:05 am to Statsattack
quote:
Statsattack
Crazy... Maybe YOU'RE right and millions of others are wrong...
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:06 am to Statsattack
I’ve read or listened to a few of his books. First book was cool, but his style got old pretty quick.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:08 am to Statsattack
He brings up interesting thoughts that deserve proper scientific inquiry. I don’t think his books should be read as definite facts though.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:09 am to Statsattack
"Tipping Point" and "Blink" are his best work, which were both written many years ago, but he gets too political and loses credibility with a lot of his conclusions in "Outliers". So much so it makes me question the other stuff in the good books.
"Outliers" was the beginning of his racially motivated stuff, where every story he writes is a really a self-indulgent way for him to feel good about being a mixed race bastard and set up the premise that white people's success is built on the back of minority exploitation.
Most of the book was written to set up this premise and he ignores the value of his own examples that undermine his premise (e.g. University of Michigan law school admits underqualified minorities who cannot do the work and they fail overwhelmingly but somehow this doesn't tell us anything definitive about their upbringing or why they fail consistently. However, Bill Gates' school had a bake sale to buy a shared computer so this computer gave him a huge advantage over his minority peers of the same ageand was pretty much the reason he is/was incredibly successful.)
He goes on to talk about racial stratification in colonial Jamaica and how terrible it was, then reveals he's of the same lineage and his ancestors' plight hundreds of years ago holds him down today (despite being a successful author!).
It was the last book of his I'll read, but I still recommend his earlier books without hesitation. I read something he wrote about football and head injuries and it was filled with drivel about sports being modern day slavery (I guess he conveniently forgot about whole paycheck aspect though.)
"Outliers" was the beginning of his racially motivated stuff, where every story he writes is a really a self-indulgent way for him to feel good about being a mixed race bastard and set up the premise that white people's success is built on the back of minority exploitation.
Most of the book was written to set up this premise and he ignores the value of his own examples that undermine his premise (e.g. University of Michigan law school admits underqualified minorities who cannot do the work and they fail overwhelmingly but somehow this doesn't tell us anything definitive about their upbringing or why they fail consistently. However, Bill Gates' school had a bake sale to buy a shared computer so this computer gave him a huge advantage over his minority peers of the same ageand was pretty much the reason he is/was incredibly successful.)
He goes on to talk about racial stratification in colonial Jamaica and how terrible it was, then reveals he's of the same lineage and his ancestors' plight hundreds of years ago holds him down today (despite being a successful author!).
It was the last book of his I'll read, but I still recommend his earlier books without hesitation. I read something he wrote about football and head injuries and it was filled with drivel about sports being modern day slavery (I guess he conveniently forgot about whole paycheck aspect though.)
This post was edited on 4/6/19 at 11:15 am
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:09 am to urinetrouble
Didn't realize book board existed. I am going over there in shame now 
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:14 am to Statsattack
He is a Pop Culture go-to-arcane-knowledge guy .You listen to Malcolm and get a dose of his counter-intuition, and you get to now imagine that you too, are an original thinker. And because he breaks it down simply and affably , and pays homage to all the current Progtrends, he has a vast audience. I mean, let’s face it, you can learn a lot of enjoyable useless shite reading/listening to Gladwell.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:15 am to GoIrish02
quote:
mixed race bastard
Ooohhh-kay
quote:
set up the premise that white people's success is built on the back of minority exploitation
Don't see how this isn't the truth. It's fricking spot on.
quote:
He goes on to talk about racial stratification in colonial Jamaica and how terrible it was, then reveals he's of the same lineage and his ancestors' plight hundreds of years ago holds him down today (despite being a successful author!).
You can't be successful and point out terrible occurrences in history? I wasn't aware the two were mutually exclusive.
I'm not a Gladwell reader, just to put that out there. Your post just hit all the wrong notes for me.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:18 am to Statsattack
Never read his books, but have listened to a few episodes of his Revisionist History podcast. Some of the topics are pretty interesting, but I don't take his conclusions/opinions as gospel.
The one he did on education in this country was pretty interesting. Basically explained how studies show intelligence is spread pretty evenly across socioeconomic classes, but we generally view wealthier people as more intelligent because schools in wealthy districts perform better. And colleges target wealthier areas for students, while poorer students struggle in fancier colleges because of the culture shock.
The one he did on education in this country was pretty interesting. Basically explained how studies show intelligence is spread pretty evenly across socioeconomic classes, but we generally view wealthier people as more intelligent because schools in wealthy districts perform better. And colleges target wealthier areas for students, while poorer students struggle in fancier colleges because of the culture shock.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:19 am to WaltTeevens
Oh No , Little Walt Teevens is here with his Progressive white guilt and racial passion plays! Gather around kids and let Little Walt regale you with stories of how the evil white man has his foot on the necks of the noble brown peoples of AmeriKKKa.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:24 am to Statsattack
I would say he is a good writer who is devoted to a premise and argument that are very flawed, and it is low-key agenda-driven.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:29 am to Statsattack
I like his Broken Record podcast he does with Rick Ruben. But it isn't so much about an agenda. I haven't read any of his books or know his political leanings.
Posted on 4/6/19 at 11:58 am to Lsupimp
quote:
He is a Pop Culture go-to-arcane-knowledge guy .
He kind of occupies the same space as chuck klosterman to me
Posted on 4/6/19 at 12:15 pm to Malefic Runt
His podcasts definitely make you think. Then he ruins it at the end when he makes some conclusion that really doesn’t follow the logical path he just laid down.
On the last one I listened to he blamed Winston Churchill’s friend for starvation in India
On the last one I listened to he blamed Winston Churchill’s friend for starvation in India
Posted on 4/6/19 at 12:37 pm to jmitc22
quote:
On the last one I listened to he blamed Winston Churchill’s friend for starvation in India
That actually wasnt that far of a leap
Posted on 4/6/19 at 4:31 pm to Malefic Runt
I’ve never red any of his books but I did enjoy the Revisionist History podcast.
While I did not always agree with him, he is an unapologetic progressive liberal, he at least ties to be fair and isn’t an a-hole about it like most progs.
He is one liberal I can listen to an respect his opinions even though I disagree with a lot of what he said.
His podcast onBrown vs Board of education was very good.
While I did not always agree with him, he is an unapologetic progressive liberal, he at least ties to be fair and isn’t an a-hole about it like most progs.
He is one liberal I can listen to an respect his opinions even though I disagree with a lot of what he said.
His podcast onBrown vs Board of education was very good.
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