Quotes from book
Blink

Blink
Malcolm Gladwell

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is Malcolm Gladwell's second book. It presents in popular science format research from psychology and behavioral economics on the adaptive unconscious: mental processes that work rapidly and automatically from relatively little information. It considers both the strengths of the adaptive unconscious, for example in expert judgment, and its pitfalls, such as stereotypes.

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“In the act of tearing something apart, you lose its meaning.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“We have, as human beings, a storytelling problem. We're a bit too quick to come up with explanations for things we don't really have an explanation for.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“When we become expert in something, our tastes grow more esoteric and complex.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“understanding the true nature of instinctive decision making requires us to be forgiving of those people trapped in circumstances where good judgment is imperiled.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“Did they know why they knew? Not at all. But the Knew!”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“Arousal leaves us mind-blind.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“… mediocre people find their way into positions of authority… because when it comes to even the most important positions, our selection decisions are a good deal less rational than we think.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“being able to act intelligently and instinctively in the moment is possible only after a long and rigorous of education and experience”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“Insight is not a lightbulb that goes off inside our heads. It is a flickering candle that can easily be snuffed out.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“Often a sign of expertise is noticing what doesn't happen.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcolm Gladwell photo

“The key to good decision making is not knowledge. It is understanding. We are swimming in the former. We are desperately lacking in the latter.”

Malcolm Gladwell book Blink

Source: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

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