Blink Blink

I read Blink. I highly recommend it. I loved the fact that every chapter took a different approach to the topic - which is, summed up, decision making. It is in no way a self-help book. It's definitely sociology/psychology. But don't be afraid - it's completely approachable, and even the cognitively clueless will be enlightened and not left behind.

I love how Malcolm Gladwell takes the time to explore the ins and outs of his topic - never settling on a pro-snap-judgement or pro-research-decision-making point of view. He credits and discredits both methods with various and varied examples of how people can either win or lose with these approaches - from used car salesmen in Chicago deciding who to spend their commissioned time with, to a war veteran out-witting the American forces in a military game using his experienced instinct, to the streets of the Bronx where four young policemen's perception of reality lead to unnecessary death and destruction. It's interesting. And challenging.

The mind is an incredible thing. To think that it's possible to hone your first impressions...and why that will help and hurt you depending on the situation...

Again, our only surety is that God knows what's going on. Even when we are idiots.