‘Tis Rubber Book Club again and hopefully by now, a few copies of ‘Connected’ will be landing on the desks of our Rubber friends & Book Club Members.
Yes ‘Connected’ may be a bit of a predictable choice: The ‘must-read book’ that everyone’s been talking about – but I can vouch it’s a damn good read.
However, if you are looking for Gladwell-eque answers or a one-size-fits-all pattern that can be applied to marketing you may be a bit disappointed – There is no social media marketing alchemy or hidden cabal of influence but more the affirmation that our networks are innately human (not technological) and those close to us (and up to three degrees removed) are extremely powerful channels that can change our behaviour, our wealth and even our health.
But Malcolm Gladwell fans do not despair, there are plenty of fascinating anecdotes to illustrate the points raised; including Corsican vendettas, Kenyan villages inexplicably consumed by infectious laughter (see YouTube video below) and a terrifying account of a virus spreading within World of Warcraft that has since been used by governments and the medical establishment as one of the most realistic scenarios for a global epidemic (NB its conclusions are not good).
Anyway no more spoilers from me. If you have read, are reading or intend to read it yourself it we would love to hear what you think about it.
And if you want a free copy we’ve got a couple spare that I am happy to send out if you promise to abide by the ‘Rules of Book Club’ – Read responsibly & share the love!
Posted By
Rory Ahern