talking to strangers

I liked this book. Gladwell focuses on several reasons why we are so bad at talking to strangers.

1. Truth default - we are biased in favor of the most likely interpretation (ex. Madoff).

2. Transparency - we believe that we can easily understand strangers, especially that their facial expressions and mannerisms accurately reflect their emotions and character (ex. Hitler and Chamberlain)

3. Coupling - behaviors are linked to very specific circumstances and conditions (ex. Sylvia Plath, suicide, Gladwell’s dad reading Dickens)

If I could condense this book to one sentence, it would be this: every story is more nuanced than it first appears to be, and rather than having a definitive right or wrong, the conflict often arises from a lapse in communication (between strangers). Overall, I thought the stories were interesting, even if they feel like they are loosely tied together. I also would have enjoyed more science/psychology - a lot of these stories felt oversimplified. I feel like this book lacked a through-line. In the end, the only advice Gladwell offers for talking to strangers is to exercise “restraint and humility.”