Drawing from the London Blitz, Gladwell unveils a counterintuitive psychological phenomenon: surviving traumatic events without direct harm often produces courage rather than fear. Those who experience 'remote misses'—near-death experiences where they emerge unscathed—develop an almost irrational confidence that transforms them into fearless actors. Fred Shuttlesworth's survival of a Klan bombing exemplifies this transformation, as he emerged with an unshakeable belief in his invulnerability that fueled the civil rights movement. Gladwell explains, 'The conquering of fear produces exhilaration...a self-confidence that is the very father and mother of courage.' This principle reveals why underdogs who have survived adversity often possess a psychological advantage over those who have never faced real danger. | Malcolm Gladwell | David and Goliath

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Remote Misses: How Near-Death Experiences Create Invincibility

Drawing from the London Blitz, Gladwell unveils a counterintuitive psychological phenomenon: surviving traumatic events without direct harm often produces courage rather than fear. Those who experience 'remote misses'—near-death experiences where they emerge unscathed—develop an almost irrational confidence that transforms them into fearless actors. Fred Shuttlesworth's survival of a Klan bombing exemplifies this transformation, as he emerged with an unshakeable belief in his invulnerability that fueled the civil rights movement. Gladwell explains, 'The conquering of fear produces exhilaration...a self-confidence that is the very father and mother of courage.' This principle reveals why underdogs who have survived adversity often possess a psychological advantage over those who have never faced real danger.

-- Malcolm Gladwell