Here, Malcolm Gladwell asks why some ideas catch fire while others fade. His answer: social change behaves like an epidemic—spreading rapidly once it crosses a hidden threshold. A few key forces drive these moments. The "Law of the Few" shows how Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen spark contagion through networks, knowledge, and persuasion. The "Stickiness Factor" reveals that tiny tweaks can make messages unforgettable. And the "Power of Context" proves that environments and norms quietly steer behavior, magnifying small shifts into sweeping trends.

Through stories ranging from Hush Puppies’ comeback to New York City’s crime drop, Gladwell turns sociology into storytelling. The Tipping Point ultimately offers more than anecdotes—it’s a lens for leverage: how small, well-placed actions can create disproportionate change, and why understanding social contagion might be the most practical kind of insight in an over-connected world.