My review of Talking to Strangers, will be controversial. As you may or may not know, I often receive criticism, for the books I promote or suggest you read.
While I have enjoyed portions of Malcolm’s work in the past, I will say over time, it’s pretty much been the same theme being repeated in every book.
The under tones, of Talking to strangers, perpetuates, the notion, that we are being dismissive and misunderstanding a particular sub culture in America.
That sub culture being the “Authoritative White male Figure”, The book starts off by suggesting and ends with the same false narrative.
That false narrative being that Sandra Bland, killed her self.
While I won’t dwell on this and several other flawed perspectives of “misunderstandings”.
the curriculum be tricking them, them dollars I spend Got us learning about the heroes with the whitest of skin One thing about the men that’s controlling the pen That write history, they always seem to white-out they sins
J.cole Tax Brackets K.O.D album
I will say the following she was murdered. Plain and simple.
Why Read The Book talking to strangers
The reason for reading this book is simple, other cultures, have their foot on the neck of specific cultures, because they understand those specific cultures behaviors.
We your enemy, knows you just as well as you know yourself, its no wonder they can effortlessly damage and destroy you.
When the history is told, and written in a biased fashion, it becomes, a “Default Truth”.
What this means, is basically the undertone, for every case study in this book, is that this person was just doing, the best they could, and were misunderstood.
Several times, Malcolm Gladwell uses the term, “Default truth” throughout the entirety of the book.
From the Sandusky, case study to the story about the Queen of Cuba.
It many instances its clear, others were well informed to what was going on and ignored clear signs, that were as plain as day.
The reasoning for reading the book, is quite simple, to better understand re-framing tactics.
The main issue I have when people use references from the media, and controversial stories, is that they cherry pick sources .
The idea of “Talking to Strangers” sounds like it would be conversational, in helping us understand our short comings with others.
But it is the complete opposite, instead its less about “Talking with Strangers”.
And more about “Covering your own butt” or “Protecting your vested interests”.
The great re-frame
Unfortunately, we are living in a revisionist paradise, everything is re-framed to serve someone else’s agenda.
We have disgruntled, classes of people, who didn’t get their slice of the American dream, being pandered to.
Logically, you would hope one would see, the smoke and mirrors, but they don’t. They seek comfort in blaming someone else. Whether its a race of people, immigrants (who apparently steal all the lucrative jobs), and the list goes on and on.
Now you have to ask yourself, if they don’t see the smoke and mirrors, or in the words of Malcolm Gladwell, seek “The default truth”
What I mean by that is, the same narrative of saying we should behave as a slave in order not to upset the master, is being pushed on us heavily.
In reality, Police offices, Teachers, Doctors,Coaches, Politicians and all of thees authoritative figures who abuse their power need to be held accountable.
This book is literally catering to that sub-culture of people who wish to blame the victim, for their circumstances.
This sub-culture only has power, because they make vague and ambiguous statements, and say you misinterpreted them.
And when they say they were just joking or it was taken out of context, we give them another shot.
This sub-culture, also glosses over clear wrongs, as misunderstandings, and spends a majority of time trying to justify and humanize the actions of clear devils.
Sandusky wasn’t a bad guy, and Sandra Bland, killed herself. Also all these clear injustices in America are just misunderstandings, so just brush them off, and don’t hold the authoritative figure accountable, for their actions.
Usually I can skip parts of books and take some value from it, but this book doesn’t have it.
Initially I reviewed it on Facebook, in order to elicit responses from others, so I didn’t condemn the book.
I still don’t condemn the book, its a good read, because this is literally how they think, and how they sleep at night because they believe their actions are just.
The unsettling truth about talking to strangers
Humans aren’t entirely hard to read, this book is a clear indication, or an author who knew how to target, a certain crowd of people and make them feel good about themselves, so he could make a profit off them.
I don’t doubt that he actually believes this stuff.
However, spies, and moles have always existed in the government, when they catch one they don’t catch them all.
Parents, and organizations, will cover up scandals if it serves their agenda. This more a book about how to cover up truths, and re-frame them as default truths.
Other books by Malcolm Gladwell , that I own and have reviewed.
The Tipping Point My review | Amazon link Blink My review | Amazon link Outliers My review | Amazon link What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures My review | Amazon David and Goliath My review | Amazon link
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