Tipping Point Debunked?

According to Duncan Watts, a former Columbia University professor of network theory science, some of the core tenants of Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point Theory are bogus.

As described by Gladwell, a tipping point is "the moment of critical mass . . . the boiling point" which, when reached, can assure the success of, say, a product or a political candidate.

Gladwell conjectures that the tipping point can be more hastily wrought if key social influentials are engaged in the process. The effect, potential or actual, of these "social alphas" is one of the key takeaways from Gladwell's Tipping Point hypothesis.

Watts, after performing some of his own research, found that these "social alphas" have just as much effect on a Tipping Point as do everyday "social betas." Instead, a trend's stickyness depends on society's willingness to accept that trend.

Great read. Thanks to Rahul for sending along this article.