David and Goliath Themes

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell argues that people often place too much faith in the things they believe to be advantageous or beneficial. According to Gladwell, certain forms of power can actually work against people who otherwise see themselves as infallible. To illustrate this dynamic, he turns to the titular biblical story of David and Goliath, in which a small shepherd defeats a hulking and intimidating warrior in combat. The giant Goliath…

Malcolm Gladwell’s examination of underdogs in David and Goliath suggests that success often depends upon a person’s ability to think outside the box. This is something underdogs are especially good at, since their disadvantages push them to challenge convention out of necessity. To illustrate this point, Gladwell references King Saul, the leader of the Israelites who insisted that David wouldn’t stand a chance against the giant Goliath. Saul doesn’t believe in David…

Although David and Goliath focuses almost exclusively on underdogs and their unexpected advantages, there are moments throughout the book when Gladwell’s analysis highlights something broader—namely, the fact that humans often cling stubbornly to their convictions because they believe them to be moral, even when this is not the case. This dynamic is especially evident in the story Gladwell recounts about Mike Reynolds, who helped institute California’s Three Strikes Law in the aftermath of…