"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell explores the concept of how small initial changes can lead to significant results, akin to an epidemic. Gladwell introduces key roles that certain individuals play in social epidemics: Connectors, who have a wide social network, Mavens, who have deep knowledge of a specific field, and Salesmen, who are persuasive in their interactions. He also examines the importance of the content "stickiness" and where and how the message is passed, underlining the power of context in spreading ideas.