In "David and Goliath," Malcolm Gladwell explores the interplay of power and legitimacy, emphasizing that minor actions often reveal a leader's true character. He illustrates this point with the unsettling example of a powerful individual who, after accidentally causing harm to an innocent person, seeks to impose a sense of normality and control by sleeping in the victim’s space and displacing their belongings.

This behavior showcases how the powerful may try to assert their dominance and validate their actions through seemingly trivial yet significant gestures. Ultimately, Gladwell suggests that it is these small, often overlooked, actions that define the legitimacy of those in power rather than grand displays of authority.