The Power Of Context Gladwell Summary

The societal perception of how each gender should behave has molded individuals to behave in that manner; whether they try to change their behaviors, subconsciously they can 't because of societal views and expectations. Malcolm Gladwell, in “The Power of Context” introduces his ideas of fixing “broken windows” to change the environment which in return should have a positive effect on the citizens of New York City. He proposes that cleaning up New York by charging citizens of small crimes will eventually stop citizens from committing larger crimes. To help this, Commissioner William Bratton takes total control of New York City police department. Bratton, being a male in society, made it easier for him to get the job done. Gladwell states “it

The entire society never really knows the true them. Gladwell would impose that “our inner states are the result of our outer circumstances” meaning that we are products of our environment, or immediate social context (157). The way being a women affected Jayanthi immediate social context is by her having promiscuous relationships without her family knowing. Gladwell would impose that the power of her social context, which is one of a traditional Hindu family where she is supposed to have one sexual encounter would make Jayanthi behave in that manner. Although she goes against this she is not in control of her identity because her new immediate social context that shapes her. Bell states Jayanthi’s bad-girl mentality allowed her “to control her identity, rather than having it controlled by either her family or the men she encountered” (34). Jayanthi believes that she is finding herself by changing her social context, but in reality she 's becoming a product of her new environment. The first man she had feelings for, played her and after she “vowed not to be played by a man again” (32). This experience is what cause Jayathi to take up this bad-girl persona in hopes to find herself. Unfortunately she is unable to because she just becomes like the men who played her, and starts playing men. Her identity becomes one of her new social context. In addition, women are more susceptible to being products of their environment and not finding their identity, which is shown in Nafisi’s article. While in her home, they are able to express themselves because their social context is now one that is free of men and the totalitarian government. An example is Sanaz. Sanaz is a woman whose life was dominated by two men, her older brother and her childhood sweetheart. Upon going to the book-club she lies to her brother about it. Also before