David and Goliath

I recently read Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath. It is sub-titled ‘Underdogs, Misfits and the art of Battling Giants.’ Gladwell himself says of the book: “David and Goliath is a book about what happens when ordinary people confront giants. By “giants,” I mean powerful opponents of all kinds—from armies and mighty warriors to disability, misfortune, and oppression. Each chapter tells the story of a different person—famous or unknown, ordinary or brilliant—who has faced an outsize challenge and been forced to respond.”

The basic premise is that both apparent giants and underdogs may not be what they seem. The classic example is the one that gives the book its title, the story of David’s defeat of Goliath. At first sight, the assumption as to the outcome of that encounter has those who hear the story thinking in the wrong direction. Size seems to be what matters – only it isn’t. What matters is skill and realising one’s potential. As Gladwell says: “The reason King Saul is skeptical of David’s chances is that David is small and Goliath is large. Saul thinks of power in terms of physical might. He doesn’t appreciate that power can come in other forms as well—in breaking rules, in substituting speed and surprise for strength. Saul is not alone in making this mistake.”

He adds: “Underdogs win all the time. Why, then, are we so shocked every time a David beats a Goliath? Why do we automatically assume that someone who is smaller or poorer or less skilled is necessarily at a disadvantage? We have, I think, a very rigid and limited definition of what an advantage is. We think of things as helpful that actually aren’t and think of other things as unhelpful that in reality leave us stronger and wiser.”

The person who appears to be the underdog may actually have the advantage, at least if it is used carefully and skilfully.

Gladwell seeks to explore how people can use well the abilities that they have, often with surprising results, and he does this by recounting a number of stories which illustrate the point.

“I want to explore two ideas. The first is that much of what we consider valuable in our world arises out of these kinds of lopsided conflicts, because the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness and beauty. And second, that we consistently get these kinds of conflicts wrong. We misread them. We misinterpret them. Giants are not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them strength are often the sources of great weakness. And the fact of being an underdog can change people in ways that we often fail to appreciate: it can open doors and create opportunities and educate and enlighten and make possible what might otherwise have seemed unthinkable.”