In Blink, Malcolm Gladwell examines the first few seconds our mind is exposed to something, and our ability to make amazingly accurate assessments without thinking about it. He postulates that those initial decisions come from behind the locked door of our subconscious.
Gladwell also puts forth a theory that in moments of extreme stress, our mind becomes blinded to the cues that would provide critical information. He calls this being “mind-blinded” and compares it to autism. To support his theory, Gladwell recounts the shooting of an unarmed black man in a rough part of New York City by four white policemen. I’m not sure I agree with the autism comparison, but the rest of the theory seems to hold water.
Blink is an interesting and well-researched book, typical of Gladwell’s other efforts. This one didn’t grab me the way Outliers did, but still introduced new ways of thinking and seeing things. I give it four stars.
