Monday, September 05, 2005

Regular visitors here probably know that I am a huge Malcolm Gladwell fan. Huge. My fandom, at least. He's smart and funny and sees the world in a quirky way that makes sense.

I loved The Tipping Point - he said something new and interesting in a meaningful way. Blink was kinda dissappointing, though. It left me with a so-what feeling, like although he said it all very entertainingly, he didn't tell me anything I couldn't hav heard round a dinner table in NW3/N10/N16.

I hadn't looked at his website for a while, so I've just realised that he's re-architected, and added a new section, his disclosure statement.

It's long, and written in sections like one of his New Yorker articles. It'a liberal hand-wringing about how sucessful he is, and what a cushy number he's got: his New Yorker contract, paid speeches and the odd book. It's a therapy session about bias, transparency and accountability.

There's a very simple answer, Malcolm. Just give up the New Yorker gig. Freelance for them when you fancy, and do the other stuff.

See, angst over.

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