Malcolm Gladwell on “The American Way of Killing”

About this episode

<p>Malcolm Gladwell, a longtime staff writer at <i>The New Yorker</i>, often uses ideas from the social sciences and epidemiology and applies them to surprising topics. But his new book tackles an issue that’s in the headlines every day. The book is called “<a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/malcolm-gladwell/the-american-way-of-killing/9780316603782/?lens=little-brown" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>The American Way of Killing</u></a>,” and the subject is America’s unique association with gun violence. Death statistics, he says, fail to convey the scale of the problem because advances in medical care save countless lives that are nevertheless scarred by violence. Gladwell talks with David Remnick about how gun-control advocates have got the problem wrong, and why he thinks that a persistent dynamic of under-policing and over-incarcerating is at the root of America’s problem. “I can’t even utter the phrase ‘defund the police,’&nbsp;” Gladwell says, “without nearly blowing a gasket.”</p><p>Further reading:</p><ul><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/unforgiving-places-jens-ludwig-book-review" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>What We Get Wrong About Violent Crime</u></a>,” by Malcolm Gladwell</li><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/12/19/daniel-ellsberg-edward-snowden-and-the-modern-whistle-blower" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Daniel Ellsberg, Edward Snowden, and the Modern Whistle-Blower</u></a>,” by Malcolm Gladwell&nbsp;</li><li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/thresholds-of-violence" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Thresholds of Violence</u></a>,” by Malcolm Gladwell</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.<br>&nbsp;</p><p><br>&nbsp;</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>