The Tipping Point

Almost more interesting than The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell's ideas would be the discussions that I have found that surrounded it. I first received my copy from Amazon about a month ago, and it immediately struck me as familiar. I started to read and I knew that I never read the book before, because the concept of a tipping point was very new to me, however I could not shake that I have seen it before. What I thought was that I had it at home and I wasted my money.

Well, it turns out that I did have the book at home, or practically, but I would not call the book a waste of money. I spotted it this summer in my sister's apartment. It seemed interesting to me, but I never picked it up. I asked it about it the last time I was home. She told me that she thought the facts were really interesting and we entered in a discussion. My friend Amy was with me, thought she mostly observed the conversation.

I went back and continued to read. I have since starting the book I have referenced it a few times in conversation. My sister is responsible for over 200 people in her Team In Training group for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and she informed me that according to research that people are not comfortable in groups of more than 150 people. After 150, communication breaks down. She uses that as the reason she is having difficulties. I've actually have had discussions with my friends on who the connector of the group is. (In college, I think there are a bunch of different connectors. You are constantly meeting different people through different groups/organizations. However, my friend Sara turns out to be a big connector.) Also, I was thinking about those people who know tons of information and try to share it with the world. Their main reason for sharing information is to help, but their information is so well researched that you take their advice almost 100% of the time. I have one of those people in my family. My grandpa is always researching, especially about technology and medical advances, and whatever he sends you, you should look into. He is usually right. Things he has been talking about 10 years ago are now common day. He just has a knack and the research to know what works.

All-in-all I believe that The Tipping Point is a very thought provoking book. Its not only one of those books that you look smart if you mention in an interview, but a book that is easy enough to remember in order to use it in your daily life, as well as a way to think about life. For anyone who has not yet picked up the book, you should. It was the best $10 that I have spent in "textbooks."