The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Malcolm Gladwell Talks to Dorothy Wickenden About School Shooters

Episode Summary

<p>In the recent <em>New Yorker</em> story “<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/thresholds-of-violence" target="_blank">Thresholds of Violence</a>,” <strong>Malcolm Gladwell</strong> turned his attention to the psychology of school shooters. In a conversation with <em>The New Yorker’</em>s <strong>Dorothy Wickenden</strong>, Gladwell explains why the social dynamics of school shootings are comparable to those of a riot, where every act of violence makes the next one slightly more likely. He also explains why the problem is far too complex to be addressed through gun control.</p>

Episode Notes

In the recent New Yorker story “Thresholds of Violence,” Malcolm Gladwell turned his attention to the psychology of school shooters. In a conversation with The New Yorker’s Dorothy Wickenden, Gladwell explains why the social dynamics of school shootings are comparable to those of a riot, where every act of violence makes the next one slightly more likely. He also explains why the problem is far too complex to be addressed through gun control.