The Use Of Logos In Blink

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Recommended: Importance of effective decision making

Blink- essay #1

Everyday of our lives we all make snap decisions. We don’t even think about them, we just do it. We make unconscious decisions all the time. Blink explores and explains the power of our unconscious decisions that we all make everyday. “Blink is a book about the first two seconds.” (pg.8) Throughout the book Gladwell is building his main message that the spontaneous decisions we make are often just as good as, or better than the carefully planned conscious decisions that we make, although there can be risks and dangers to them. Gladwell conveys this message in a very interesting and unique way throughout the book. Gladwell conveys this message through the interesting and effective way he structures his book, the use of logos …show more content…

He uses logos to further prove his theory about why and how the mind does certain things. Gladwell uses the IAT test as an example of logos, "But the IAT measures something else. It measures our second level of attitude, our racial attitude on an unconscious level - the immediate, automatic, associations that tumble out before we've even had time to think."(pg.85) By using the IAT test, he gets to see that students "unconscious attitudes may be utterly incompatible with our stated conscious values."(85) The IAT test provides a logical explanation that uses an actual test with real results that helps Gladwell’s message to be conveyed. Gladwell also includes information about a man called John Gottman who can predict if a married couple will stay together. "If he analyzes an hour of a husband and wife talking, he can predict with 95% accuracy whether that couple will still be married fifteen years later." (pg.21) Gladwell uses real numbers and evidence from actual tests and experiments that helps his argument and message. This research and use of logos that Gladwell has included backs up his message with logical reasoning which further helps him convey his message to his …show more content…

Does the author use complicated words and intricate examples or does he use common words so the book will appeal to the audience? In Blink, Gladwell utilizes both types of diction; complicated and simple words. Since Gladwell uses both of those types, the tone and diction helps him greatly in conveying his message to his audience. “If we are to learn to improve the quality of the decisions we make, we need to accept the mysterious nature of our snap judgments.” Gladwell says this just after he has given an example of snap judgements in real life. This would be an example of the more serious and complicated diction. This helps Gladwell convey his message because it is backed up by an example which builds on to the main message. Gladwell also uses the rhetorical question very often, this makes the readers think outside of the text and into their own lives. “How is it possible to gather the necessary information for a sophisticated judgement in such a short time?” Gladwell’s use of rhetorical questions throughout the book helps him convey his message because it helps the readers think about what he is saying and apply it to their own

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