The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It took me back to my college days and my social psychology courses- which was my minor. I read it with a pen in hand, marking things much like a college textbook. The basic premise of the book is that little things can cause things to "tip," dramatically changing society. The book explores three different kinds of people who play vital roles in tipping:
1. Connectors and Super Connectors: people who know a lot of people and have influence with a lot of people. (Paul Revere was one example.)
2. Mavens. People who know a lot about a specific thing or a variety of things. As you read, people you know come to mind. Everyone knows a maven (a know-it-all!)
3.Salesmen. People who know how to persuade.

Stickiness is also a huge factor in tipping. If something is "sticky" it, well, sticks. One of the examples he used is Sesame Street. Combining real people with puppets and costumed people (Big Bird) made Sesame Street sticky.

Context is the next factor explored. This was an amazing example to me: I'm sure those of us who are a little older can remember the reputation of NYC and the HIGH crime rate there. That was "tipped" by simply cleaning up New York. The subways were scrubbed, and graffitied trains were not allowed out on runs. Run down neighborhoods were repaired, painted, and cleaned. By cleaning up New York, the crime rate dropped dramatically. The theory being "people prone to commit crimes are less likely to do so in a cleaner environment."

The example I thought of that illustrates this same factor: We have two serve- yourself frozen yogurt establishments in our town. One is extremely busy; the other, not so much. My theory is that a simple factor makes the difference: the busy one sets out tiny paper cups so people can taste the different flavors without having to ask. The less busy one does not. My theory is that a thing as small as teeny tiny paper cups that you don't have to ask for, make all the difference.

There is much more in this book. He explores the "tipping" toward violence at schools after Columbine, suicide epidemics, fashion trends, mass hysteria (Like the recent example of the girls with the tics in New York), etc. All of it very interesting. The sad thing is that it was written before the huge "tipping" in social media caused by the internet, facebook, etc. I think the principles can be applied, though to the ever-changing world. There is much food for thought, and much that can be recognized and applied in our daily lives.
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