Blink is about the adaptive unconscious. The moment where we can sum up all the data that is before us and make an informed instant decision. Our brain is like a giant computer which processes data instantly to give the first impression.

Blink demonstrates this by looking at a study that can break a marriage down into core elements which will determine whether it will be successful or not. However even those observations can be thin sliced even further to just one core element – the presence of contempt.

Gladwell goes on to demonstrate that even though we need experience and infromation to thin slice deciions, too much information actually hinders this ability. He uses several examples to prove this, the best being the War Games and choosing jam.

The US staged a war game in 1999 with the home Blue Team having every conceivable source of information about the enemy, Red Team. Howevr the Red Team was led by a decorated war hero who defeated them in an instant. He summed up by saying “In chess i can see the whole board, but that doesn’t mean I’ll win because I don’t know what the enemy is thinking.”

When buying jam, consumers are more likely to make the snap purchase if there are only six jams to choose from rather than twenty. The more choices they are given, the more difficult the decision and the consumer suffer from analysis paralysis.

It’s this thin slicing of information that enables snap decisions. Our minds can collate all the history of our experience and thin slice it into the key information we need to make a decision. Yet in further experiments of subtle suggstion, it was found that exposure to certain words can influence behaviour so, our snap decisions are influenced by culture.

At this point Gladwell goes even deeper by looking at examples of how snap decisions go terribly wrong, by concentrating on a case where four police officers shot down an innocent black man, in seven seconds. They thought they saw a gun, they thought an officer had been shot down, they all opened fire. When they realised what they had done, they were all devastated.

Blink discussed the many elements that affect our judgement, our culture, our experience, the data that is placed before us. So the very things that help us, also hinder us. So how can we make a good snap decision? Suddenly thinking without thinking has lost its power, because we cannot think at all with too much information.

Gladwell demonstrates the point by telling the story of a famous orchestra who decided to put up screens to audition their musicians, so they only heard the music rather than judge the contender by looks, attitutde, the way they held the instrument etc. They found that this was how they eventually began to choose women into the orchestra – by talent alone.

Gladwell defines blink:- “what all the stories and studies and arguments add up to – is an attempt to understand this magical and mysterious thing called judgement.” The key question that Gladwell has been asked about Blink is “When should we trust our instincts, and when should we consciously think things through?” and he turns to Freud for the short answer ” When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons. In vital matters, however, such as the choice of a mate or a profession, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. In the imporant decision of personal life, we should be governed, I think, by the deep inner needs of our nature.”

And finally Gladwell sums up the ponderings of Blink beautifully by considering “I think that the task of figuring out how to combine the best of conscious deliberation and instinctive judgement is one of the great challenges of our time.”

Blink, as with all of Gladwell’s works, is a rich text of many stories and examples to illustrate the point, and reels you in ever so gently until you find yourself in the middle of a strong argument, which he gently brings you through to the end, to leave you pondering, why you think the way you do, how we can change it, and how we can harness it.

If you haven’t read the book yet, I do go into the ending in this piece so if you don’t want to know how Uglies ends, move along now.

Uglies is the first book in a four book series by Scott Westerfeld. It takes us into the future where society as we know it has disentegrated and our society as we live today is referred to as The Rusties.

Within this new world there are several divides. Ugly town, Pretty Town and the authoritative City which also encompasses Special Circumstances, a secret service of the new world.

The premise of the book is that when everyone turns sixteen they are given an operation which transforms them into a Pretty, someone who is of perfect dimension, based on their biology, so everyone is different, yet the same as they are given the exact proportions of what is determined to be pretty by the order of the City surgeons.

We meet Tally gate crashing a Pretty party to visit her newly Pretty childhood friend Peris. He has settled into life in New Pretty Town with all his new pretty friends, and as Tally is still an ugly she has broken many rules by even visiting him. During her escape from Pretty Town on her hoverboard, she meets Shay and they become close friends, pulling tricks while waiting to turn 16 on the same day. Tally is obsessed with turning Pretty while Shay is not so sure, and begins to talk to Tally about an alternative to the operation.

The Smokies are a rumoured group of rebels who refuse the operation and stay Ugly and live out in the wild in their own civilisation. They are highly sought after by the City as a threat to the order it has created.

On the eve of the operation Shay decides to leave the city to live with the smokies and leaves Tally a cryptic note describing how to find her and how to get to The Smoke. On the day of Tally’s operation instead of being taken to be transformed, she is arrested by the city and given an ultimatum by the ruling Dr Cable, to find The Smoke while carrying a tracking device and then to turn the tracking device on once she has arrived so the city can come and destroy the rebels.

Tally arrives at the smoke and meets David, a natural ugly who is 18, an age that Tally has never seen untransformed into Prettiness. They begin a romance which crushes her friend Shay who had her own romantic ideas about David.

David teaches Tally everything he knows about the wild, about his philosophy about the City and most importantly what the operation actually does. It not only transforms your body, but it transforms your mind as well so that you cannot think for yourself or question authority. The city injects nanos into your brain which keep you under their control through compliance. David’s parents have found what they believe to be a cure but it is untested on a Pretty.

Tally is convinced about the Smoke’s objectives and understands the controlling nature of the city and decides to stay in the Smoke and not to betray it to the City and throws the tracking device into the fire, inadvertently triggering the tracking device. The city Specials arrive the next day and destroy the smoke and Tally is exposed as a traitor. To try to prove her intentions, she volunteers to return to the city to be transformed into a Pretty so that they can try the cure on her. Shay is kidnapped by the specials and transformed into a Pretty.

This is where Uglies finishes.

Themes

If you’re studying Uglies as a prescribed text there are many themes to consider.

Beauty
What constitutes beauty and what benefits are there to being beautiful? What would happen if everyone was beautiful? In Uglies although everyone is created ‘the same’ there are still differences. The idea behind the transformation was to rid society of anorexia, jealousy, wars. If everyone was perfect there would be nothing to be angry about because everyone is wonderful. However, even within the Pretties, there are slight jealousies about clothes, eye colour, hair colour. The nature of the human condition has not been changed by its outward appearance.

Possessions and Status
In our modern world we revere beauty and there are many statistics to support that the more attractive a person is perceived, the better they will do in life in terms of material wealth and societal status. Pretty Town tries to eliminate this by providing everything a pretty could want, food, clothes, accommodation. Everything is taken care of and everything is uniform aside from some minute personal choices. However, it was also deemed necessary by the capital for the minds of the pretties to be altered to accept this as normal and not to argue or become overly jealous about the appearance or use of possessions of others. Providing beauty and goods alone does not quieten the nature of man.

The Power of the Human Mind

Throughout Uglies, the idea that a person can overcome brainwashing by the power of one’s own mind is a strong thematic concern and indeed runs through the whole series. The ability to take on learned knowledge, new ideas, and to find one’s own belief system are strongly demonstrated.

The Power of a Single Idea

The nature of society and government is examined and boiled down to the power of a single idea being enough to bring an empire down. This can be reflected through history in terms of communism, socialism, the Germans in WW2. It has only ever been a single idea, from one person, that has created great movements in society and this is demonstrated intensely in Uglies and throughout the series.

Summary

Uglies is a tricky read to begin with so give yourself at least the first 50 pages to get into the world and the use of language. Once you conquer it, it’s a great ride.

Westerfeld has written an accompanying book From Bogus to Bubbly which translates some of the language used in the book and also the technology and the hoverboards that everyone wants, but I wouldn’t recommend reading it until you’ve read all four books in the series otherwise some cliff hangers are totally ruined.

The series continues with Pretties, Specials and then Extras which takes up the story 3 years later. I”ll add further cliff notes about Pretties and Specials at a later date, as for those who haven’t read Uglies it can detract from the first book and also the whole series.

Westerfeld is a great writer and I’m currently reading the Midnighter series which will also have cliff notes soon once I”ve finished the entire series. Although the Uglies series is classed as teen fiction, it is a great read for any age group and each book leaves on a huge cliff hanger so you can hardly wait to get your hands on the next one. I can see it becoming a classic work as a prescribed text for the number of themes raised in the work for the teens but it is also thought provoking for anyone who thinks.

Highly recommended.

Update: Here is a link Extras book review I  hope you enjoy

Tribes looks at the development of groups, especially niche groups which forms tribes – with or without you – and the value that is apparent in taking a leadership role of these groups.

Godin contends that people are desperate to believe in the elusive ‘something’ whether it’s animal welfare, software, tattoos, or orchids. But with this desperation, the despair is the collective sigh of all going nowhere believing in the one thing. This is where leadership enters the Tribes equation.

Godin looks at what makes a leader as opposed to a follower, what core values are needed and why so many don’t take up the challenge and why, it is essential that someone step up to the plate. He challenges our core fears of failure, apathy, discontent, the status quo and why all these fears need to be challenged and conquered – immediately.

Some of the core ideas include Leadership is Not Management, and with this, managers are not necessarily leaders. He cites examples of a single memo that changed the course of a company, written by an employee who rose to lead the company forward.

In these changing times, Godin warns that the market place is changing so rapidly that leaders need to rise to negotiate that change and in fact drive it forward. He demonstrates this with a study of Wikipedia, The Grateful Dead and many others, each filled with the smallest of golden tips.

He clarifies profoundly the difference between fans and followers. A follower is passive, who likes what you do and what you’re on about. A fan is an evangelist for you.

The balloon factory and the unicorn is one core example Godin uses to demonstrate how the status quo must be fought and why it is at times near impossible, but the key to hold onto, is that it is not impossible. With true leadership, someone who clearly demonstrates a mission statement and allows communication and activity between those who agree, can lead anyone, anywhere to do anything.

He talks extensively about the value of the heretic and how important it is to now listen to these people. Apart from this, Godin emphasises the need for these heretics to take charge of their own destiny and to lead. Sheepwalking versus tribe management and leadership is clarified. There are many sheep but very few shepherds.

In summary he looks at the key negators to leadership namely, timing and Not Now Not Yet, asks if Not Now When in such a way that you just can’t not disagree. By understanding care and charisma, elements of leadership including listening and mediocrity, he asks in conclusion Why Not You and Why Not Now?

There are no easy steps to leadership, no plan laid out or magic formula. But the totality of the information in this work equips the reader with a new outlook on what it takes to lead and who in fact you will be leading – but most importantly – WHY.

This is another one of those books to add to your collection if you’re a thinker or want to know more about the mechanics of leadership and social change.

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1. There is no such thing as an overnight success and
2. Stars are born AND made.

Throughout The Outliers, Gladwell looks at several case studies including The Beatles, Bill Gates, New York lawyer Joe Flom and others.

Gladwell argues that it is possible to take a successful person and predict their history in terms of where and when they were born, who their parents were in terms of cultural identity, and what type of school they attended.

While looking at successful Canadian hockey players, it was discovered that the best were born at a specific time of year. With other case studies, Gladwell succeeds in building the case that it definitely depends on when you were born as to whether you will be successful or not, in a range of endeavours.

He then goes on to examine the importance of cultural heritages including Jewish immigration and the ensuing rag trade boom, and the significance of rice fields on success in mathematics and other academic enterprises.

Gladwell’s signature and most coined argument from The Outliers is the 10,000 hour rule. Using a collection of studies he suggests and proves that one will only be an outstanding success at anything once they have achieved 10,000 hours of practice and execution of their speciality.

Gladwell builds compelling arguments and makes one stand back and think about the nature of success. The information he provides and the argument he makes allows us to understand success retrospectively and to some extent predictively.

Cliff notes really don’t do this work any justice and it is a highly recommended read for anyone interested in the pathology of success.

Finally Bella and Edward are married in a ceremony reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. Jacob had left the pack of wolves, destined for a life of solitude after Bella could not love him. He returns as a wedding present. He is mortified to discover that Edward and Bella are planning on consumating the marriage as vampire and human, fearing that Bella will be killed by Edward.

Fearless and determined, Bella and Edward leave for their honeymoon to Esme’s Island, an idyllic setting on a pacific island.

They are successful in making love, though Edward has left Bella with many bruises, he is determined not to ever risk it again, however Bella again seduces him and as she says, they get better with practice.

By the end of the honeymoon, she discovers that she is pregnant, Edward and Carlisle have decided to remove the child before it kills Bella. Bella’s maternal instincts kick in and she enlists Rosalie to help her protect her unborn baby.

Back at the Cullen house, Jacob seeks out Edward fearing that he has changed Bella. He discovers a distraught Edward, sure he has killed Bella as the baby eats away at her.

Jacob tells the pack what is going on and they decide to kill Bella because of the abomination that grows within her. This goes against everything that Jacob believes and he takes back his claim to the Alpha and defies Sam the leader. He separates from the pack, flanked by Seth and later Leah. They swear to protect Bella and deal with whatever the baby may be.

Bella’s condition improves once they decide to feed her human blood and Carlisle has to leave to get more supplies. Bella’s placenta tears in a freak accident and suddenly the baby is in danger and they have to operate to get it out.

An emergency vampirian caesarean is performed and Bella lies bleeding to death after seeing her baby for a moment, it bites her and she loses consciousness.

The baby is taken downstairs while Bella is left in Edward’s hands. Jacob follows Rosalie and takes one look at Renesmee, the chosen name for a girl baby, and imprints totally upon her. We had been led to believe that he had imprinted on Bella, but this was not the case, he was only madly in love with her.

Upstairs, Edward works feverishly injecting venom directly into Bella’s heart and healing her wounds with his venom and licking.

Bella finally transforms into a vampire and survives. She goes through the change in an unconcious state, totally controlling the pain of the fire with her mind and awakens when her heart stops to greet Edward and everyone waiting for her.

The Volturi are told of Renesmee’s existence, and fearing another outbreak of the immortal children, a breed of baby vampires created against Volturi law, they come to kill Renesmee, though their ulterior motive is to take control of Bella and Edward. The Cullen’s call on all the favours they can and accumulate a band of 17 who will bear witness for them against the Volturi. The wolves also protect Renesmee and the Cullens are joined by an increased pack of seventeen wolves.

In preparing for the battle, Bella is educated in her talent. She is a shield. She can protect not only herself but those around her. By the time of the battle, she is able to stretch her shield across all the vampires and wolves to protect them from the Volturi psychic attacks, leaving them to fight on skill alone and they back down.

Alice returns with a witness from the Amazon, another child the same as Renesmee to totally defeat the Volturi’s argument that she is a menace and must be destroyed.

The Volturi know they are outnumbered and outsmarted with partiuclar menace shown to Bella, the most powerful of them all.

The story winds up with Edward, Bella and Renesmee returning to their cottage knowing that Renesmee will survive to live for eternity. Bella shows Edward her gift by revealing her mind to Edward for the first time, by removing her shield and letting him in.

Of the entire series, Breaking Dawn is the longest of the novels at 756 pages, hence the long cliff notes. There is a lot more involved in the story. Meyer’s writing is breathtaking in delivery with the changes of views from Bella to Jacob to Bella. Again I was reduced to tears throughout the novel led by the expert capture of emotion by Meyer. A truly gifted writer. I’m going to move on to read The Host next to compare her style against the Cullen saga but I’m sure she won’t disappoint. I hope she is writing the next volume in the Cullen story.