Simon Baron-Cohen | psychologist | Head | autism

Yes. Simon Baron-Cohen, the British psychologist, says that autistic people are "mind-blind." They lack the ability to interpret nonverbal cues like facial expressions, or put themselves into another person's head. But I argue that in conditions of stress, we can all suffer from a form of mind-­blindness, sometimes with tragic results.

Without being facetious, that sounds like one of the age-old arguments between women and men. The woman says the man doesn't pick up on subtle emotional signals. He doesn't read her mind.
In fact, one of the terms they use to describe autism is "extreme male brain syndrome."

Your first book, The Tipping Point, was full of infectious ideas. A Google search on any given day turns up dozens of "tipping points" in poli­tics, pop culture, sports, weather, and more. Does its continued success surprise you?
Totally. Never in my wildest imaginings did I think the book would have that kind of impact and staying power. I thought I'd write it, a couple of people would read it, and it would disappear.

What connects your thinking in The Tipping Point and Blink?
Both books are an appreciation of the mystery of the world. I object to descriptions of change and people's thinking that are too cut and dried, too linear and logical. Some people think everything can be accounted for and neatly filed away. I find the world kind of messy and mysterious, and that's what's great about it.

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"we rely on snap decisions far more than we appreciate. and we suffer under the delusion that most of our important decisions are made in a very ­ra­tional, deliberate way, but that's just not true."
quick. what's your impression of this man? now read the story to see what this author has to say about your snap judgment.