Malcolm Gladwell has made a name for himself by publishing superficial books that basically promotes a simple theory for everyday phenomena and cherry picking data to support it. He is a good writer and when you read his books his argument initially sounds plausible and it is only later you discover that things are a lot more complicated than he lets on and that his favorite theory either has strong competitors or powerful counter-arguments.
Anyone who has read a Gladwell book (I have read two The Tipping Point and Blink) tends to think, “I could have written that”. The trick is finding a catchy title for a trivial thesis.
But via Boing Boing, I learned of a website that gives people Gladwell-style book ideas. (Click on each book cover to advance to the next suggestion.)
Now you too can write a bestselling pop psychology book!
have you read this article about Gladwell? http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2012/06/malcolm-gladwell-unmasked-a-look-into-the-life-work-of-americas-most-successful-propagandist.html
It’s a very interesting overview of his right-wing training and background, and his long-time advocacy of the tobacco, pharma, and banking industries.
My favorite so far is Slurp: What Kittens’ Tongues Teach Us About Derivatives.
Appears to be a gallery rather than a generator. Still, I kind of want to know what kittens’ tongues teach us about derivatives. Can’t be a worse waste of time than The Tipping Point was.
Thank you for the link. The S.H.A.M.E. project looks interesting.
Thank you from me as well. Fascinating reading. The project is a great idea.