Play Book Tag discussion

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell - 4 stars - My Review

Malcolm Gladwell provides insight into why underdogs are often successful against a more powerful opponent. As is typical in his books, he takes the contrarian position, arguing that these so-called underdogs are skilled in areas under-appreciated by the general population. He cites examples and research from the fields of psychology, sociology, science, and business in support of this assertions.

As always, I enjoy reading Gladwell for the entertainment value. He does a great job of weaving together various stories, setting one aside to focus on another, related, story on the same general topic, and coming back to the initial story later to wrap up the thought. His method is effective in keeping the reader’s attention. His approach is to highlight the counterintuitive, leading the reader to several “a-ha” moments.

Whether his sweeping statements will stand up to scientific scrutiny is another matter entirely. The main issue I have with his approach is that the research he cites is not done in support of his theories. It is relevant to the topic he is examining but does not actually prove “cause and effect.” For example, Gladwell cites examples and anecdotes of dyslexics who are successful. This does not mean dyslexia causes success. Science is used to supplement his narrative, not drive it. I enjoyed this book for its thought-provoking content, but the reader should bear in mind that his observations have not been proven using the scientific method.

I read this when I first joined PBT in 2017. I enjoyed it, I remember that but most of the details in the book are lost to me now. The most vivid part I remember is Goliath's possible medical conditions that attributed to David not really being an underdog.

He seems to be saying that so-called "underdogs" have skills we don't generally appreciate and that we overvalue power. Goliath is physically strong, but David is nimble.