The Turning Point by Malcolm Gladwell examines a series of social epidemics and analyzes their build-up to the point where they tip over. “Tipping” is that point at which an epidemic explodes, or grows, to its maximum potential. Gladwell begins to define “tipping” with a literal example of the famous shoes, Hush Puppies. Once considered old-fashioned, Hush Puppies experienced a social boom in the mid-'90s, when New York hipsters made them hip again. Gladwell goes on to explain the “reversal” with a medical epidemic of syphilis in Baltimore. Gladwell introduces us to the three essential rules of epidemics: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. The Law of the Few states that a key factor in epidemics is the role of the messenger: it spreads through word of mouth. Gladwell explains this theory with an example of how Paul Revere managed to spread the news of the British invasion overnight. Gladwell continues to explain that there are different types of people who create these types of epidemics. They are called connectors, experts and salespeople. Connectors are those people who are very social and can literally connect with people with just two degrees of separation. Experts are those who know a lot about many different things. They might recommend a certain restaurant to you and you have to go because you know that what they told you is true. And salespeople are exactly that: easily sociable and persuasive people. The stickiness factor says that the messenger is important, but so is the quality of that message. It needs what Gladwell calls “stickiness.” Gladwell explains how two children's television programs started a social epidemic using "stickiness" factors. Sesame Street and Blue's Clues used different means... half the paper... does the government have to give to produce the desired result? For example, increasing taxes on gasoline will make people want to drive smaller cars because they are more fuel efficient. In turn, pollution decreases and people carpool more and limit driving as much as possible. Another example would be the seat belt law. Having a seat belt law means people avoid more serious injuries from car accidents, and there is more incentive to drive slowly and more carefully. Despite intentions, a greater number of accidents are recorded. This relates to the idea of ​​a turning point because initially people didn't wear seat belts because there were no laws about it. Then, when the laws were implemented, the auto industry switched to producing all cars with seat belts. In conclusion, much of life is tied to turning points, including both economic trends and public policies.