In the second chapter of Malcolm Gladwell's novel The Tipping Point, Gladwell gives a Paul Revere example of a social epidemic and proposes the "law of the few."
Though, as I was reading, the thing that really caught me in this chapter was the point of Gladwell making about why should Paul Revere get all the attention for warning the colonists that the British were coming when William Dawes (another colonist of the time) did the same thing Paul did but if I went up to someone on the street and ask them who William Dawes is they would have no idea. I find this also the case how Paul Revere's close friend Joseph Warren whom didn't get credited or rewarded for his contribution to his country. It makes me think of the under appreciated people of our world who are not noticed by society for doing the same stuff that the hero of the society had achieved.
Watching Sportscenter almost daily I always here about the crazy ocho-cinco of Chad Johnson or the wild of the Terrell Owens story and how great of players these guys are, but I find players such as Steve Smith, Wes Welker and many others that are under-rated and just as good or even better than these big stars. In my life I especially find this happening most often to me. The quote big stars of my team just make a lot of noise when they make a good play or just make sure that everyone notices them, while I do my job and do the same things they do but dont make such a big deal of it because I know it is expected from me. Yet the louder ones seem to get more attention and playing time from the coaches. I wonder why this happens?
And sorry to bring up another sports example, but for those of you who watch football, the William Dawes, Paul Revere comparison can be similar to a way lineman are to their quarterback. The lineman protects the quarterback and without the lineman the quarterback would be worthless. But because of these laws that they mention in chapter 2 that we as people use in our lives we recognize the quarterback as the big stuff and the best thing ever when it's really all thanks to the lineman. And that's a good reason why Tom Brady is so famous and gets all the glory because his lineman protect him and support him, but most people don't even recognize that.
The main point i'm trying to make and say is that what I personally get out of this chapter is that everyone is interconnected in trying to do a specific job and I quite frankly, do not like it when one person gets credit for something a lot of people put effort into, I find it very selfish.
And I believe William Dawes deserves as much credit to help saving our country as Paul Revere did.
Personally I can definetly say that i'm a fan for the underdogs, not the favorites.
--KP
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