Blink - Entry 2

Halfway through Blink, I am really enjoying reading this book. First of all, the way the book is written it unlike anything I have ever read before. The author, Malcolm Gladwell, writes in chapters, and then within those chapters he has different subtopics he explains more in depth. Along with the structure of the book, the studies and experiments mentioned throughout the book really grab the readers attention, forcing them to keep reading. For example, there was a very interesting study done to explain the effect of rushes of adrenaline. The study followed two police officers, dealing with an armed assailant. He was threatening to shoot, so when the assailant pulled the gun, the police officer reacted as any would, firing back. He explains that in that moment of pulling out the gun, aiming, and firing, time slowed down. As David Klinger recorded during an interview, "I saw four of my five rounds hit. The first one hit him on his left eyebrow. It opened up a hole and the guy's head snapped back" (222). Gladwell then questions how is it possible that the police officer was able to spot exactly where and when each of the bullets hit the target. He goes on to explain that when we are put in life-threatening situations, our brain limits the amount of information it receives. By 'slowing' down what we see, we give our brain enough time to process what is happening in order to figure out what to do next. This book just takes things that people tend to overlook and delves into not only what causes it, but why. Why does our brain work the way it does? Why is it so amazing? These are the type of questions I hope the book will answer by the time I finish reading it.