The Big Man Can’t Shoot | Revisionist History Podcast | Malcolm Gladwell

Wilt Chamberlain’s brilliant career was marred by one, deeply inexplicable decision: He chose a shooting technique that made him one of the worst foul shooters in basketball-even though he had tried a better alternative. Why do smart people do dumb things?
Season 1 (2016)
#revisionisthistory #podcast
ABOUT REVISIONIST HISTORY
Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every podcast episode re-examines something from the past - an event, a person, an idea, even a song - and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.
ABOUT MALCOLM GLADWELL
Malcolm Gladwell is president and co-founder of Pushkin Industries. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of six New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, David and Goliath, and Talking to Strangers. He has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996. He is a trustee of the Surgo Foundation and currently serves on the board of the RAND Corporation.
ABOUT PUSHKIN INDUSTRIES
Pushkin Industries is an audio production company dedicated to creating premium content in a collaborative environment. Co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg in 2018, Pushkin has launched seven new shows into the top 10 on Apple Podcasts (Against the Rules, The Happiness Lab, Solvable, Cautionary Tales, Deep Cover, The Last Archive, and Lost Hills), in addition to producing the hugely successful Revisionist History. Pushkin’s growing audiobook catalogue includes includes the bestselling biography “Fauci,” by Michael Specter, “Hasta La Vista, America,” Kurt Andersen’s parody Trump farewell speech performed by Alec Baldwin, "Takeover" by Noah Feldman, and “Talking to Strangers,” from Pushkin co-founder Malcolm Gladwell. Pushkin is dedicated to producing audio in any format that challenges listeners and inspires curiosity and joy.
STAY CONNECTED
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[@malcolmgladwell]

Stay tuned to the Revisionist History playlist for new episodes: kzbin.info/aero/PLwa5nQCz20BRS5qYQ_D2NNQIpdSvYCMUV

[@Emma-yu9wb]

This classic gets better every time I listen to it.

[@twb12]

Malcolm Gladwell is such an amazing story teller

[@kobe24rockz]

What a classic, Hershey park arena is also where Kobe Bryant won his state championship. Lots of history in that building.

[@L33PL4Y]

Barry is similar to how I am. I'm not necessarily a perfectionist entirely, but I certainly care far more about doing the right thing and doing a good job than being liked. This episode helped me understand myself more.

[@danielpaz671]

Barry definitely didn't care about being liked

[@TheVafa95]

"it takes courage to be good, social courage... " Besides courage and honesty, one needs to "think independently" a very difficult process. "Why do smart people do dumb things?" because of lack of thinking independently, politics locally, nationally and internationally is in a mess. People do not want to solve current problems using new solutions. It is like, trying to solve higher level calculus, using 1st grade math. Is that because of having higher threshold in not trying? Perhaps, but we do not have much time left. After all it is not just a game.

[@VinceLyle2161]

After watching Malcolm Gladwell debate with Matt Taibbi and Douglas Murray, I am done with him. That said, this podcast is the greatest, most memorable I've ever heard. I always come back to it.

[@L33PL4Y]

What did they debate, and why are you done with him?

[@VinceLyle2161]

@@L33PL4Y They debated the proposition that one should not trust the mainstream media. Malcolm Gladwell debated in favor of trusting the mainstream media, but his tactics were nothing but condescension, misrepresenting the other side's argument, and name-calling. He seemed astounded that anyone could disagree with his side, but by the end of the debate, most of the audience did. He's a fine writer and documentarian, but oblivious when it comes to the media environment.

[@jacasmar163]

Hi... Great as usual. One question though specifically about the two players mentioned and the period: would the fact that Rick was white and Wilt was black has something to do with the former not caring and the latter wanting to stay within the limits of what is acceptable to others? Threshold also works here... Would that be a factor affecting Wilt (understanding that other white players did not adopt this method also).

[@brucestaples4510]

From whatever insight one can get into these two men from this short video, I don't think it was racial. One thought he looked like a sissy, the other just didn't give a rat's ass.

[@willmpet]

Why don’t they try to be more effective?

[@josiahmorris5799]

Someone give this podcast to Giannis.

[@thebeebyboys1751]

Couldn't believe that it took so long to call it a granny shot. No body wants to shoot like granny

[@L33PL4Y]

Nobody should want to miss so many shots.

[@junkjunk2493]

behavior thresholds , great podcast perfectionism is a narcissistic neurosis you wanna be right or you wanna be liked different people , different needs

[@TheVafa95]

This is a false dilemma. One can "excel" and be generally liked.

[@vladpetric7493]

I'm sorry, but you're putting waaaay too much weight into single observational studies with small effects.

[@ajoneal-individual2222]

I get Rick. He and I would not be friends, but we'd respect each other - which would be better than friendship. :)

[@BonsaiBuckeye]

Was with him until he said "Shaq was a go to the bench guy!"

[@macrosense]

He was busy with other things

[@astrophysicistguy]

My older brother was an associate dean of the college of medicine of Penn State in Hershey and my parents moved there as well. Been to Hershey park many times . My mom actually took a part time job there making and selling food