The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point was a great book.  The title and caption was what drew me in right away.  I started thinking how does this caption have anything to do with blogs and social media: “How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.”

Malcolm Gladwell wrote this book to look at major changes in our society and how they break out so quickly, and the word spreads fast. I was interested in his biography so I read up about the author, Malcolm Gladwell, and he explains the Tipping Point as when social epidemics take off, and reach their critical mass…that equals the Tipping Point.

The book gave an interesting view of the world around us and how we pick up certain issues, or topics. The overall message was that a very small act could result in a chain reaction. He gave examples on how this happens. One example I came up with was how Justin Bieber started singing his music around his hometown, then he got a computer with a video cam and started recording himself, (one of Justin Bieber's first YouTube Videos Bieber: With You) and then he put it on YouTube, and then one person watched it maybe shared it on their Facebook wall…another person watched it maybe shared it on their Twitter feed, and then before you know it he’s picked up by one of the biggest music agents in the world. And now he’s making millions of dollars thanks to social media.

By the way, the link I gave you that directs you to on of his first YouTube videos has 41,898,911 views. THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

One part of the book I found particularly interesting was the concept of “connectors.” These are the people who are constantly on social media and are helping spread the word about top news, music, entertainment, sports, etc.  They are the social butterflies in the group..the people who are nosy and what to know everything…people like…me.  I am addicted to social media and share a lot of information through social media. I guess that makes me a connector!

In the past I had heard the term "Six Degrees of Separation” but never really looked into it until after reading more about it in this book. The concept totally makes sense.  It kind of goes back to the saying "It's a small world after all"...and just for fun...let me take you on the ride Small World.

Anyways, the book was a great read and a great depiction of how social media really influences our lives.  It showed how one small thing could spread like a wild fire and become a worldwide phenomenon. He even got into some principles that I won’t go into just because I obviously can’t explain them as well as he can, but they definitely made sense. They all related back to how we find out information with examples from Paul Revere to examples in current day.  This book didn’t get on the National Bestseller list for no reason. It’s an interesting read that will make you not want to put the book down. I highly suggest that if you’re a reader you look into this book. You can buy it online right here! Buy The Tipping Point