I’m not usually one to engage with the social media dispute-of-the-day (nor to blog about anything at all, for that matter). But I’m riveted against my will to the teapot storm initiated by Malcolm Gladwell’s recent New Yorker piece on social media and activism. I’m a pretty committed Gladwell fan, and as his is an exercise in hype deflation — if social media is good at anything, it is good at generating an endless supply of hype and pseudo-academic triumphalism — I’m naturally predisposed to like the piece. Some folks, however, have offered smart and substantial quibbles with it, most notably Alexis Madrigal (and his commenters) and Jonah Lehrer.
But here’s one statement that I unequivocally agree with, from Gladwell’s live chat today:
[Comment From from indiafrom india:] Angus Johnston in the Huff. Post says you don’t understand social networks. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/angus-johnston/what-malcolm-gladwell-doe_b_741916.html If you had a chance to read the article, what is your take on his perspective?
Malcolm Gladwell: I think what he means is that I don’t agree with him. Incomprehension is simply what a narcissist calls disagreement.
Posted at 5:29 pm | 5 Comments | Filed under Random |
