Ordinarily, when asked to describe the development of one's character, one would respond with accounts of childhood experiences or memorable moments in his or her life. Character is built throughout one's entire life, and from each situation comes a lesson learned. Whether it be family, friends, teachers or peers, the influence of any of these external forces can strongly shape anyone's character as a child. But consider this, as Malcolm Gladwell did in his chapter of Tipping Points, "The Power of Context: Bernie Goetz and the Rise and Fall of New York City Crime," the streets we walk down and the things to which we are exposed in the outside world have just as much an impact in shaping who we are and who we will become. Gladwell reviews many aspects of a person's character development and how and what shapes their character. Through concrete detail and effective accounts of psychological and social experiments, Gladwell thoroughly communicates his argument of The Power of Context.
             In his chapter, Gladwell discusses his basis for making an argument. He claims this argument to be "environmental." What does the term "environmental" imply about his argument? Firstly, a person's environment is all the conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding and affecting the development of that person. The Power of Context suggests that the seed of human action and interaction lies in the environment in which a person acts. Depending on the atmosphere in which a person is placed, it will have a determining effect on the choices and actions of that person. When Gladwell makes this "environmental argument," he is simply stating the fact that The Power of Context is highly based upon the environment in which a person dwells. The Power of Context carries it's meaning directly in its name. It is the fact that the context of a person's life has so much power and influence on how that person acts and li...