Brooke Gladstone, The Goldilocks Number

Brooke Gladstone

The Goldilocks Number

“The Goldilocks Number” first appeared in Brooke Gladstone’s book The Influencing Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media, illustrated by Josh Neufeld, and it was adapted from a radio segment Gladstone produced for NPR in 2010. Gladstone, a journalist and media analyst, calls The Influencing Machine a “media manifesto” in which she challenges readers’ common assumptions about media. As you read, pay attention to how the illustrations enhance Gladstone’s analysis and help distinguish her own ideas from those of her sources.

For a closer look, click on each image to enlarge it.

image
image
image

Starting a Conversation: Respond to “The Goldilocks Number”

In the text boxes below, reflect on Gladstone’s analysis on by responding to the following questions:

  1. Question

    Z/chF0CKW5zHQiEJpq/eNLad4CZcYo5WIqY2Prfx9gWETXilw2C8FFw9RL7sStGL6Jsxl0Xnc4BWPn8B1KWpMeWUUDazLpnb6GEvxEXi2hHNCY1UOgFByr26YDFot3p6J3EcMwBBmEL/2MuI7Zbim9gcJkD6Po6Ji1VFBXWfQ0AbpoB8clAnMxvHWfw+QNyTx4JE85kr+m/4GdTZwkflz2E1srZH4EdJ5Kuvi1KLMmZPkvUaG6xsX340z6pEJa9fyC60wVqNP+i+/SiC69aqeH5b+O0tHjNLP6tH0rvQGCfatagPxxIzoSRwPvtY97zyMucbvZj9FvDdR68W
  2. Question

    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
  3. Question

    adRDN9qSGru8cyx2eIhFF6sdU/2BkiMAe+ftBYHGhplMG+uQArrmU6ykGW1fLer57cue//+00p4XGBFUBbHxRDPdtOjzy9TA8E4A6MSWUCTKX3kOSvYhGCvdpNXNTcK8CeDQMcVj6gpvYm1bEuJ0wiCHL5DBl8VdD5XHMugkugGUj7FVQwuHvlmhH9qiahVhQwGG2nX0Pkk3D+Bv0t/iNbKNW6X3BxBqTlBOMfCqXM4JjHQOaZiq+wtQJUZMUI0Upgm81xXfSbZ+yihaJvjzufkJba0M6l0/Sz9DjqTINGSzT9BDICkYvX3haoEawlY7YwRU9PTZ4hHjF033Ihvvi3zsVlOrI6T2mm26g7UNkhXmV7hGaxuGSsA4FwNe2T0v6xxH7XgF75QSJJ1tLzJGh70/E8g=
  4. Question

    hN7BSb5usvYuBN+TokRq5PPea24VtzrZTL13pAFIzDJSXIlX274e4sCtP14q+rJytCQcWXiZeolfDYSKffQF1sM5MDZVvHx+u/DKZtoXqTJjpp0IaCNXPD/h3YIzrY9qX76S0CKC1LH7sgXyL03RZgiDtVR39QmWUzj2dTgWVV9Z++1BfsX6+kgYp+cdJKAE3cXQ5ud8WajpnSFQVMmzXcqg3s1hDxlK5lsl0QjsL7ryIqRS9XhuiJphSAA5o7S3MKXqjk7UU5CTxUjqXtaIXA030C5grF1YmeDCd9UZN03PEIf4b4X5t0iMtIpPbxJpW6/VArjFmyDWer+Vv4IsB6Cebb/VqHDYvDEjqA==
  5. Question

    +TkCfoc/TFQC03hSVIg4mATw4MstS4QB8FE8qZwYTNLpusf6NUe0Dz5+1mfs6qOJHRCz/VV5CYoaR+ZliUVSuPeBw8h3YL6jXiWhPi7Bwm0KMIOkIeDLJosexz5hnVcyQIsAMfi8X+sMGMewoOMCvDyV7xbXAOa00xBlXs7/WnO1a9l60UYDDCUdY0a/T1yDNCrQUXcV4bpsTKlGsWWe2Kq7E23h7yKLoDRH8R5VY9F1s25pCn1Q8sff1X2L58nKHcq7zQdUg5gH7Z1adqDMZfQf41ara1EELkL28c+1jO2luCtEDAYzDiqkX6g=