While I appreciate the research and the important points the author makes, some of the anecdotes are repetitive. The book could have been much more condensed.

Good

Does good job explaining the difference and use case for statistical analysis and quick judgement.

Loved all of the stories. Gladwell is expert at drawing conclusions through storytelling. Such an enjoyable and insightful mean. I will carry these ideas with me for the rest of my life. Well done.

M. Gladwell never ceases to amaze me. This book offers clear and concise examples that challenge the reader to think about decisions made from our unconscious mind and how easily our snap judgements can fail us. I love this book and will read again.

I like how Blink explains snap decision making and it’s importance. It also discusses how to not get lost in information but rather use the information to better understanding.

Great book for unconventional thinkers

Malcom Gladwell simply makes one think about... well, how one actually thinks. “Blink” brings critical awareness of oneself as a thinker and learner. Appropriately thin-sliced into multiple vignettes, “Blink” helps one view problem sets from different perspectives that will expand ones thinking within a nanosecond or blink-of-an-eye.

Throughout the entirety of Blink you end up seeing how counterintuitive our first impressions to so many things are. From taste tests, to wartime strategy, and most importantly to how we interpret other people. To start to accept this idea you first have to accept a series of rules. The first is that snap judgments are natural and seem accurate enough for many scenarios. The second is that we can’t play an active part in that snap judgment. The next and probably biggest understanding is knowing which snap decisions to trust and which to actively work against. In his book, “Talking to Strangers,” Gladwell does a great job of explaining that third part, the filter. The filter being CONTEXT of course. In Blink he lays out how we quickly judge, and in the other he dives into how butcher context. For that reason you should absolutely read Blink first, followed closely by “Talking to Strangers.” All of this is done in Gladwell’s well established style. That trademark elaborate journey layered with anecdotes, tests, and expert insights that all combine to demonstrate powerful patterns. It’s how you wish we learned most everything. At least in an exploratory sense. Seeding the curiosity, watering it, and waiting for that lightbulb like bloom that represents the “aha” moment.

The author draws on research such as the IAT which has a test-retest factor of only -.35, if being generous. There are still some sound factors of reactive decision making proposed and that is valuable.