Book of the Month - September
The Bomber Mafia
Malcolm Gladwell - ISBN: 978-0-316-29661-8 - April 2021
Author:
Malcolm Gladwell has been an interesting find in my life. Over the last few years, my kids and I have listened to his podcast, “Revisionist History.” They especially love the episode about McDonald’s fries. My daughter has dreamt of fries from the old days. He is the co-founder of Pushkin Industries and, at the time of this review, the author of five New York Times best-sellers. For an in-depth interview and a great way to get to know him, please click here to check out this video interview conducted by Carey Nieuwhof about his books and faith.
Brief Synopsis:
The Bomber Mafia opens the world of the Army Air Corp and the men who determined the original thoughts and culture. Originally designed to be an audiobook, the hard copy adds notes and insights not available when just listening to the story. In this book, Malcolm explores the development of napalm, the firebombing of Japan, and the men who asked, “What if pinpoint bombing could end wars faster and make them less lethal?”
“The genus of the Bomber Mafia was to understand that distinction - and to say: We don’t have to slaughter the innocent, burn them beyond recognition, in pursuit of our military goals. We can do better. And they were right.” - page 206.
Insights:
“The more you invest in a set of beliefs - the greater the sacrifice you make in the service of that conviction - the more resistant you will be to evidence that suggests that you are mistaken. You don't give up. You double down. As Festinger recalled in an oral history, "One of the things we expected would happen would be that after the disconfirmation of this prediction...they would...have to discard their belief, but to the extent that they were committed to it, this would be difficult to do.” - page 113
“Without persistence, principles are meaningless. Because one day, your dream may come true. And if you cannot keep that dream alive in the interim, then who are you?” - page 198
Should I read it or skip it?
I love Malcolm Gladwell’s writing and storytelling style. I also love military history. So, therefore, I think everyone should read the book. There are a few things I caution. You get two different experiences reading the book versus listening. So dependent on the type of learner you are, I think you can choose either experience.
Also, as a church leader, I find myself dealing with isolation from and relegation by our culture. The Bomber Mafia was ahead of its time. They dreamed of a day when the use of pinpoint bombing would enable a way to make the world safer. When technology caught up, pinpoint bombing became the way of the world. We no longer depend on analog sites to drop bombs. From GPS to laser targeting, we can drop an appropriately rated bomb and not see the collateral damage we would see 50 years ago. I think church leaders experience something similar. We have a message and belief which could change the world. However, due to our own actions and culture, we find ourselves isolated and irrelevant. Time will help because some cultural ideas will invalidate themselves with time. To become really relevant, we need something else, like the innovation of technology for The Bomber Mafia. I think Covid and its effect can be those things for us.
