Blink - Book Review

Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while other are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while other end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work - in the office, in the classroom, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others?

Those are the questions asked on the book jacket and the content in the book attempts to answer those questions and more. The main concept that the author presents is called "thin slicing." Basically, with the proper knowledge, you can take very small snippets of a situation and make snap judgments that are more reliable than if you spend gobs of time analyzing the situation. He tells the story of the real hospital that ER was based on and how they dramatically reduced the wait time for cardiac patients by creating a system for making intelligent snap decisions to categorize the seriousness of their chest pains.

On the other hand, the author cautions about the dangers of "thin slicing" without the proper background knowledge. He relates the story of Amadou Diallo who was murdered in the Bronx by a car full of police officers who thought he looked suspicious. As they approached, Diallo quickly turned to go back into his apartment. As they got closer, they saw Diallo reach and pull something black out of his pocket, so they started shooting and didn't stop until 41 shots rang out. When it was all over, the officers approached the body to retrieve what they thought would be a gun, but instead found that Diallo had been reaching for his wallet as he thought he was getting mugged.

Other stories include the New Coke debacle, the "Warren Harding Effect," the fake statue that fooled the J. Paul Getty Museum and the most expensive war game ever conducted by the Pentagon (this one is VERY interesting and has a huge impact on the war we're currently in). Overall, the writing style of Malcolm Gladwell makes for a fascinating and quick read, but there is virtually no mention of any technique to increase your ability to "blink." Aside from the fact I was expecting something a little different, this book provided original insights into some high profile newsworthy items over the past couple of decades and it was worth reading once.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Would I read it again: No

Blink : The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell
Hardcover: 288 pages
January, 2005