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Forum namePass The Popcorn
Topic subjectGreat post
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=180608&mesg_id=180803
180803, Great post
Posted by stylez dainty, Fri May-12-06 03:52 PM
I hadn't seen your post before, but my post sure reads like I had.

It seems like we both, as well as a lot of other people, acknowledge the problems with his work, but still kind of give Gladwell a pass. Why do you think that is?

Because he's an interesting writer?
Because we like his politics?
Because we like him personally?
Because even if they are incorrect, his ideas are generally not dangerous?
Because the New Yorker rides for him?

If Gladwell wrote exactly the same way, but to use the example of two recent New Yorker essays, used his theories to say:

a) Racial profiling is effective. So are bans on pitbulls.

or

b) We need to get tougher on the most problem-prone homeless people.

he would have platinum hate posts on OKP, and I'm sure I'd be a major contributor. It makes me feel less justified in attacking similar methods when employed by those I don't agree with.