Talking To Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

Talking to Strangers

by

Malcolm Gladwell

This evening I finished listening to the audio book Talking To Strangers By Malcolm Gladwell.   This book does not oversimplify what is a very complicated issue in the United States.  It does not point fingers to one side or another.  Instead it struggles to clarify outcomes created by misunderstandings and expectations.  The book has as its beginning and its ending the tragic death of Sandra Bland about whom HBO did a documentary in 2018.  In between these two bookends the author covers a wealth of information.  He explains human nature's tendency to assume the best and societies expectation that those in authority have the ability to know when not to trust someone.  He explains the origins of police training manuals which teach assumptions that have been removed from environmental context.   The audio book is a work of art.  It is done in podcast style with audio footage from interviews and news reels properly placed according to the content of the book.  The song "Hell You Talmbout" by Janelle Monae f. Jidenna is interspersed at chapter breaks and other appropriate times. I am the first to admit that I am not very good at social skills in general and when it comes to reaching across cultural barriers am often uncomfortable and inept. My take away from Gladwell's book is to communicate with restraint, humility, care, and attention instead of blame will move us toward the path of progress. This book is not easily understood. I had to pay attention. But it is worth the effort it takes to follow the details of how we ended up in our current mess. Gladwell does not point fingers at the authorities or the public but instead explains areas of misunderstanding and decisions that were made along the way that caused us to be where we are today. Not blaming individuals but examining a very complicated broken system, the explanations in this book are important ones to study. Please follow all four links above to more information. And enjoy the two videos that follow. Then listen to this audio book. It is an important one.