Summary, Analysis & Review of Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath by Instaread

By Instaread Summaries

Summary, Analysis & Review of Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath by Instaread

 

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Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is a book about perceived disadvantage. People with few resources or cer

• Language: English
• Publisher: Instaread, Inc
• Release date: Feb 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781683785811

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Overview

Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is a book about perceived disadvantage. People with few resources or certain disadvantages may seem weak and unlikely to win. However, in many cases, the same factors that make underdogs seem weak gives them built-in advantages. Underdogs are much more likely to win than people think.

In the biblical battle between David and the giant Goliath, David won because he refused to play by the rules of the powerful. He used a deadly sling rather than engaging in honorable hand-to-hand combat. The weak often feel free to adopt scrappy, unexpected tactics that the powerful disdain. As a result, powerful nations are often defeated by insurgencies.

A major problem for Goliath-like forces is that oppression and the application of violence can lead to greater and more effective resistance. Government rule always depends on some level of legitimacy and obedience from those governed. When a government is seen as arbitrary, cruel, and violent by the governed, it loses legitimacy and may fan the flames of rebellion. Thus, too much force and too much power may be a weakness rather than a strength.

Weaknesses can lead to strength on a personal as well as political level. Individuals who face serious adversity, such as the death of a parent, are better able to face and overcome difficulties later in life. People who