4.+Malcolm+Gladwell+by+Jesus

__Aim__: Malcolm Gladwell's main point throughout David and Goliath is to show meaning through things people never really saw into before. He plans on using that to show his readers a new perspective on life just from some events with a twist people never saw before, but then again never thought they'd agree with. His own website claims his book is " …//David and Goliath// is a beautifully written book about the mighty leverage of the unconventional."(Gladwell) The unconventional view is the view he's taking in order to bring about new life in a thought that was abandoned, or maybe never even occupied. Questions that can arise are some that might consider that what society may see as a disadvantage may actually be an advantage, and vice versa. He also makes connections others may not see, and therefore may be missing more than they expected. This can be things even as huge as the balance of the weak and mighty. However, on his biography on his website, he asks that no matter what, you come to your own conclusions.

__Audience__: Gladwell can, and does, have a wide and varying audience. His book, David and Goliath, draws up philosophy, psychology, history, science, business, and politics, which all of them being varied, will bring in more people. However, it seems Gladwell has no favorite, and according to Steven Pinker, professor at Harvard, he " seeks to undermine the ideals of talent, intelligence and analytical prowess in favor of luck, opportunity, experience and intuition."(Pinker) Gladwell isn't look to become famous in talented or intelligent circles, he wants to show how life is, and that it will reap benefits for those who have luck, opportunity, experience, and intuition of their side. He even says those with a minimum of 120 IQ, not matter what, will not bring about better intellectual achievements without some or most of those attributes he favors. However, he has no particular audience in mind, except for those who want to learn. Pinker states at the end that readers can learn a lot from him, but should watch out for some of his own values.

__Historical__: Malcolm Gladwell was born in Fareham, Hampshire, England, on September 3, 1963, but was soon moved to Canada with his family. At age 11, he was allowed into libraries at his father's workplace, and his interest in reading was lighted. After graduating from college, he tried attending graduate school, but was unsuccessful at finding a school to accept him, and said " "college was not an... intellectually fruitful time for me"(Gladwell). He went on to become a journalist for a small firm in Indiana, and by 1987 was working for the Washington Post. In 1996 he became a writer for the New Yorker, and has been there since then. In his time at the Washington Post, he came to his famed "10000 Hour rule", which claims that to become a master at anything, you must invest 10000 hours into it. He, in the time before and after reaching his 10000 hours, wrote 5 books. His final book, David and Goliath, was what brought him back to his Christian faith, as well as all five of his books making him one of the best authors of the 2000s.

__Cultural__: Gladwell's books found their way into the American mainstream, and have had an effect of multiple aspects of life. Multiple companies, from Amazon to //Fortune//, //The Economist// and //The New York Times// all say his book changed people's view of life. The Economist itself says of the book " it is a compelling read with an important message"(The Economist). However, his book changes more than just outlooks on life. When Gladwell dedicated a portion of one of his books to the practice of "redshirting", or delaying a child's entry to school for an advantage, the practice was on the rise after his book was released. He has also become one of the best selling, as well as highly rated, authors of the 2000s, bringing about almost a new genre many call the "Gladwellian". His cultural impact will be around for years, if not decades, influencing authors old and young. He is also a driving force into the philosophy that people can be happy by following examples of happy people.

Pinker, Steven. "Malcolm Gladwell, Eclectic Detective". //New York Times.// 7 November 2009. Web 1 April 2015 "David and Goliath." //Malcolm Gladwell //. Web. 1 April 2015.

"Malcolm Gladwell." //Malcolm Gladwell //. Ted.com Web. 1 April 2015.

"How Did I Do That?" //The Economist //. The Economist Newspaper, 13 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Apr. 2015.