Shouldn't Twitter Have a Shuffle Function?

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Malcolm Gladwell is dubious about the power of social networks. But Stephen Johnson argues that if we use them right, they give us access to a broad range of ideas and information. Malcolm: We spend way too much time valorizing individual genius inventor but not nearly enough time celebrating networked innovators who make ideas into reality.

We all face fork-in-the-road moments in our lives. In his 2005 bestseller “Blink,” Next Big Idea Club curator (and this episode’s guest interviewer) Malcolm Gladwell famously argued that snap judgments can be just as effective as meticulous planning. In this lively conversation, author Steven Johnson (“Farsighted”) disagrees, arguing that big, complex decisions require careful thought and scenario-building.