What the Dog Saw is a compilation of articles by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is divided into three parts. The first section is about obsessive and minor geniuses, the second part deals with flawed ways of thinking, and the third section deals with predictions about people. Gladwell is eager to show people the world through the perspective of others. In the first part, the author focuses on the minor but impressive geniuses, who have made it in their own way. For instance, Gladwell tells the story of Ron Popeil, a man who successfully expanded his family business. Besides, there is a story of John Rock, a catholic devotee who invented the birth control pill. Moreover, there is a story of Cesar Millan, a host of National Geographic show, who was raised by poor parents. Cesar was nicknamed “the dog boy.”
In the second section, Gladwell outlines how people should perceive the poor, disasters, and financial scandals. He gives the story of Enron, a businessman whose company once employed 30,000 employees. Eventually, he filed for bankruptcy. In the third section, he describes how people tend to perceive others as either good, bad, or capable of doing something well. Gladwell gives a story where issues relating to performance are initiated by predicting the capability of others.
The whole book shows how people see the world through the eyes of others. People all over the world tend to measure the capability of others without testing them. Judging others based on predictions is uncalled for. Gladwell casts doubts over individuals’ ability to predict events without evaluating them. Many people have made it in their own niche despite being judged harshly by society. As well, many people who have been perceived as conquerors have failed in their own niche. Therefore, we should not judge the capability of others based on warped predictions.
