The Tipping Point

The “law of the few” is the concept about “the people critical to social epidemics” (pg. 34) and what makes these people so important in society and different from the rest of the world. In “The Tipping Point”, Malcolm Gladwell uses Paul Revere as an example. We all know the story of how Paul Revere rode around Boston and the surrounding cities to warn them that the British were coming and how because of his ride the British were amazed when they arrived to a group of people ready and waiting for them. The part of this incident that I didn’t know (and I’d assume there is a large population just as ignorant as I am) is how there was another man, William Dawes, who also rode that night warning people the British were coming. He went the opposite direction that Paul Revere went and covered the same amount of ground in the same amount of time, however, his impact was nowhere near as great as Paul Revere’s to the point where some people didn’t even hear about the news even though William Dawes had passed through their city. The reason Dawes wasn’t as successful as Revere was because he didn’t have the same connections to large groups of people as Revere did. Because of his positions in numerous “communities”, Revere knew all different types of people and therefore had the ability to spread news so much faster through his many channels. This is essentially what Gladwell means when he says the “law of the few”: how one person can cause an epidemic due to all of the people they are connected to through a number of ways. Gladwell calls these people “Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen”. Connectors are the people that we know that simply know everyone: they know someone in every circle and have connections to all different types of people. Mavens are the people that are extremely knowledgeable: they have “information on a lot of different products or prices or places”(pg. 62). They are known as “information brokers: sharing and trading what they know” (pg.69). Salesmen are the persuaders: the people who have the ability to persuade their friends and people they know “when they are unconvinced of what they are hearing” (pg. 70). According to Gladwell, all three of these people – Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen – are crucial in the tipping point.

This concept of “the law of the few” was really interesting to me, mainly because I could easily identify with it. Although I have never thought of this concept in this way, I was able to immediately think of people who fit these roles- especially the Connector. I really liked the examples that Gladwell used as he was talking about what the Connector does in the world such as Hush Puppies, etc. The reality is that people follow people and whether it is fashion, food, career, or life issues, we are going to listen more to what we are told by friends than we are by an advertisement. When you combined all of the talents of these few people you can truly start an epidemic. These people have the ability to change the world based on their connections, knowledge, and ability to persuade people to do things. What I took from this was the importance of using your gifts to the fullest. The example of Paul Revere was perfect because it showed what someone can do to use their talent to change the world. I am glad that we were able to see the reverse side as well to really put in perspective the power that these people hold and as the saying goes “with great power comes great responsibility”. As the next generation we have taken everything to the next level in the fact that we all have the ability to be Connectors due to technology. Facebook, twitter, youtube, etc. have given people the chance to connect with people they have never even met in person. I read recently about how someone received an organ from a person they met on Facebook. It is apparent that connections are essential in life and this book reemphasizes just how important they are. The impact you can have is directly related to your ability to connect with people. You can’t start an epidemic without having the ability to spread things to other people. I think of the importance of Connectors in campaigning. If Obama didn’t have connections to people in all different circles then he would have undoubtedly lost the election. But I’m sure that he had people on his campaign team that were Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen that had the ability to spread like wildfire the news of Obama and persuade people to vote for him.

One of the most impactful comments for me that Gladwell made was slightly for humor as he said he felt bad for the products that the Connectors didn’t like because it is probably the reason why they failed. The statement was humorous but so true. There are so many things that succeed or fail based off a few people’s opinions and their ability to impact the world. Is it sad that one person can have such a major impact on the world? Yes and no. If used for superficial reasons such as fashion and appearance then yes it is pretty sad. But if used to make a lasting impact on the world by bettering society then no it is not sad, it’s beautiful. I think the point of this section of the book was to open our eyes to the delicate power that is held by people – some of us – and how we can use it the same way Paul Revere did: to save our community!