Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Larry Wilmore at Live Talks Los Angeles

Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Larry Wilmore at Live Talks Los Angeles discussing his book, "Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know." The talk took place on September 17, 2019 at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, CA. To learn more about Live Talks Los Angeles -- upcoming events, videos and podcast -- visit our website at livetalksla.org and subscribe to this channel on KZbin.
We have a few signed copes of his book. To order, email us at info (at) livetalksla.org

[@Whatthehellisgoingonnow]

genuinely love this interviewer, brings some levity and great rapport with Gladwell, hope to see them talking again!

[@jeninem9115]

Brilliant explanation of over policing related to the need! Thank you Malcolm!

[@karenseligman5244]

was watching first and last on netflix...exemplifies this...it's a whole business...the needing to pay to "bond out"...never knew

[@andybaldman]

We need someone in the White House who isn't influenced by money. Period.

[@carolleos2801]

This interview was fun.

[@darlafitzpatrick8770]

Malcolm's fellow Canadian, musician and author Neil Peart (RIP), also described George W. Bush as "an instrument of evil." Both men are incredibly insightful observers of American culture and behavior.

[@jonathandewberry289]

24:00 I'd consider it normal and if anyone was to ever light up a cigarette it would be then. I am STILL utterly baffled that a grown man, a policeman is what.. a sniffing 17th century Biddy who almost faints at the sight of such a roguish and smelly thing in her castle?

[@Chevive0515]

Mr. Gladwell, my understanding is that Sadam had the face of George Bush Sr. painted on the floor of the entrance of the most popular hotel in Baghdad and that everybody who went to that hotel had to walk over it. Throwing a shoe to a person is as far as I know a very offensive thing in Irak, and this is the closest thing Sadam could do to offend GB Sr. If there was a reason, I think this one could be one. Nobody f..kcs with the president of the US.

[@valeriepearson2279]

😂🎉😂a in

[@aishwaryapahwa]

At the time of the filming of this video, George Floy and Breonna Taylor were still alive :(

[@jonathancarmel205]

So true about Bush

[@michaeleaster1815]

41:41 This statement is certainly no longer true. This video was posted 3 days after the WHO declared a global pandemic. Sobering.

[@trilabradorable]

Oops....spoke too soon!

[@andybaldman]

41:31 Well that comment didn't age well...

[@AM-or5mi]

Why? Did Trump start a war that lasted over a decade and cost a trillion dollars?

[@andybaldman]

Casually joking about the Rodney King riots. Big laughs!

[@AM-or5mi]

Host is brutal. Larry, please stop trying to make jokes about everything Malcolm says....ugh.

[@ajgrand]

Exactly! Take the comedian hat off for a second. Dude is annoying. Like the goofy guy who, knows women like to laugh, but wonders why he can’t get a date. Know how and when to pick your spots

[@drakewinwest9888]

@@ajgrand You live in some parallel universe where Pete Davidson doesn't exist? Kidding. XD

[@andybaldman]

I've never understood Gladwell's take on the whole interaction between Sandra Bland and the cop. Every interpretation of his about her and her behavior seems like a stretch. Lighting a cigarette isn't passive-aggressively defiant? Come on. Any cop would be pissed about that. You're supposed to sit there, make no unnecessary movements or actions, and comply completely. That's how it works, and she didn't do that.

[@anitrahooper5031]

There are many white people who do actively disrespectful actions when with cops, and are allowed to without consequences. Your point is based in bias.

[@andybaldman]

@@anitrahooper5031 Yeah, no. White people just know how to get arrested. If you're white and you disrespect a cop, you're going to get the same treatment. Saying that's bias is a poor argument. Show me the videos of whites doing the same things as blacks, and being 'allowed' to get away with it.

[@AM-or5mi]

@@andybaldman You can't be serious 🤦‍♂️

[@andybaldman]

@@willzimjohn But I don't think we misinterpret as much as Gladwell claims. We communicate plenty through body language and non-verbal cues. Are we right 100% of the time? No. But it's pretty high. But more importantly when a cop pulls you over, you should know how your actions are going to be interpreted, whether you mean them or not.

[@ebbyc1817]

I think what is easy to bypass in this statement is that, Sandra Bland too, is human. The comment presumes that she has complete control over her emotions and is able to act completely rationally under the circumstances. How many of us have ever been in a fight or flight situation and been able to stop our hearts from beating faster or our palms from sweating, and how many would see this reaction from us and presume we were innocent of whatever it is the situation implies we might be guilty of. The fact that we are in that situation at all, makes us nervous. In the same way a cop would say, they felt under threat, so they pulled out a gun, Sandra bland felt under threat, and pulled out a cigarette.

[@battlescorn]

I'm curious on what makes him so confident Sandra Bland was indeed a suicide.

[@terry_swd]

Not very fond of the interviewer tbh.

[@rainafortini5797]

Malcolm? Do you say Sandra “...had psychiatric problems” because you know for a fact that she was seeing a psychiatrist? Or are you diagnosing her heavy emotional baggage without a license?

[@casteretpollux]

If you meet someone and there is a strange vibe/energy from them, something you can't quite put your fingers on, that person is a psychopath. We have evolved to pick up character instantly: but in general we need act as though people are ok so we suppress those reactions. I'm underwhelmed by Gladwell. He doesn't question why people in general put their trust in strangers. The answer is that society would fall apart if we didn't. People who live in a van off grid don't put their trust in strangers. I also find him naive. Did he consider if all those lie detector memoirs are white noise to distract us from the torture? He also doesnt see that early in Hitler's career as head of State one could have said that he was less of a warmaker than the previous generation of German leaders. And he is a snob: 'Chamberlain was a shop keeper from Manchester' That cop who arrested Sandra Bland was very likely just filling quota. And the first days in jail are the highest risk statistically for suicide. My impression of Gladwell is a narrow, socially biased, ignorant and dangerous little man.

[@theresaast7049]

Did you even read the book, Katherine? Well if you did, then read it again, because he addressed most of your questions? If you didn't, read the book!! --- No one could address all those things in a 1-2 hour interview. Wwhere is your anger, discust, and hatred coming from and who made you listen to someone you already know you hate? --- If you really think he is "narrow, socially biased, ignorant, and dangerous, you would not have wasted your time on this video.

[@joshuadiez4406]

The belligerent glockenspiel ordinarily move because dream tentatively precede besides a volatile ophthalmologist. flaky, deafening scissors