[A Review of Books] Malcolm Gladwells David and Goliath Summary

Abstract

In his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell shares stories in which underdogs who are pitted against seemingly unbeatable opponents end up being victorious. Two overarching ideas are explored throughout the book: the first is that much of what we consider valuable in our world arises out of ... lopsided conflicts, because the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness and beauty (Gladwell 2013, p. 6), meaning that achievement is often born from immense struggle. The second idea is that we consistently get these kinds of conflicts wrong (Ibid., p. 6) by misreading or misinterpreting the conflicts we encounter. Essentially, Gladwell challenges our conventional ways of thinking and contends that we are stuck in rigid frameworks regarding ideas about obstacles, disadvantages, and power that limit our perceptions of our full capabilities. This paper will provide a detailed review of Gladwells book before applying the underdog story to a case of economic catch-up from an underdog economy.