Responding to reasoned concerns about rigor with ad hominems in the Internet age is not a recipe for success. > My point was that the people who read my books

Responding to reasoned concerns about rigor with ad hominems in the Internet age is not a recipe for success. > My point was that the people who read my books appreciate this. They are perfectly aware of the strengths and weakness of the narrative form. They know what a story can and can’t do, and they understand that narratives sometimes begin in one place and end in another. The point is that they don't and they aren't and they can't - many people believe that Gladwell is more than a storyteller, and take his scientific gallavantry as truth. It's irresponsible to ignore that fact, but it's necessary for Gladwell's business model to do so - people read his works primarily not because he is a good storyteller, but because they believe he is telling the truth, as backed up by science.