For those who have read Gladwell’s The Tipping Point it is safe to say you are taken aback at first at how easily he breaks a major trend down to a few influencers who decided they liked something a couple months back. Of course as you are reading all this you are nodding your head in aggreance with Gladwell and quiet excited about the whole idea, it all seems to make so much sense.

And then there is Clive Thompson, author of “Is the Tipping Point Toast?”, which discusses Duncan Watt’s idea that the power of not the movers and shakers of society, but the average Joe, you and me (ok well maybe not you because I can’t generalize everyone out there, you may be quiet the influencer at this point in your life/career) are the ones who hold the power to spread the same trends and popular ideas as Gladwell’s influencers. The reason I had to agree with this is because how often have you seen a sweeeeet pair of kicks on someone who doesn’t mean anything to you and probably doesn’t mean much to most people they encounter, and said, “wow those are absolutely amazing and I have to have them,” and you go buy them. Your roommate goes and buys them. Their sister also has to have them and maybe 3 people who you will never meet face to face have encountered you and your stylish shoes and went out and bought them. Now half the east coast is rockin’ your new found pair of shoes and who did it begin with? Some chick in the grocery store who had an eye for fashion, she may never influence anything of that magnitude ever again. I rest my point, well I rest Watt’s point. Now go influence the world you non-influencer you.