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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I loved this book. I can't say I understood the whole book, some portions were over my head. However, the main themes are very relevant. Those themes are that macro unexpected events will substantially change everything -- Assassination that began WW1, S&L Crisis, 9/11, COVID (I added the last one). Taleb argues because these events are unexpected models and typically experts are wrong. It's a futile exercise since very small things, outside of models controls can have an enormous impact.
The author's tone is irreverent and he's so smart and confident I would occasionally just break out in laughter since he expresses clear contempt for other smart and confident professionals across many fields. He is actually complimentary of US Military Officers, he claims that we get it because we understand a single sniper or bomb can change everything and so predictions have to be very flexible.
I hope to read again and commit more of the book to memory.
The author's tone is irreverent and he's so smart and confident I would occasionally just break out in laughter since he expresses clear contempt for other smart and confident professionals across many fields. He is actually complimentary of US Military Officers, he claims that we get it because we understand a single sniper or bomb can change everything and so predictions have to be very flexible.
I hope to read again and commit more of the book to memory.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Definitely transformational in getting you to think about all of the uncertainties in life and especially in economic life. Our overconfidence in our ability to predict continually will be our downfall. Very good book, the only downside was putting up with the author's own arrogance and sarcasm.
I did not enjoy the way this book was written. I think there are good ideas in this book, but it's not worth trudging through this book for them. Reminded me a good bit of thinking fast and slow. Read that instead
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
“The payoff of a human venture is, in general, inversely proportional to what it is expected to be.”
Nassim Taleb is one of the most interesting and unique modern philosophers. I learned A LOT from this book. If I could lodge a complaint, it is that he is not very good at making concepts easily understandable to the layperson. Taleb is clearly very smart, a polymath, worldly, and more. He likes to make sure you know this by using overly complex language and cosmopolitan anecdotes from his own life.
That said, I can tolerate mild arrogance in exchange for uniquely useful ideas. His heterodox thinking led him to foresee in some respects both the financial crisis of 2008 and the pandemic of 2020.
I spent 4+ hours coagulating all my highlights and notes. Most bullets are direct quotes or paraphrases of his main points. They are available to browse here.
View my best reviews and a collection of mental models at jasperburns.blog.
Nassim Taleb is one of the most interesting and unique modern philosophers. I learned A LOT from this book. If I could lodge a complaint, it is that he is not very good at making concepts easily understandable to the layperson. Taleb is clearly very smart, a polymath, worldly, and more. He likes to make sure you know this by using overly complex language and cosmopolitan anecdotes from his own life.
That said, I can tolerate mild arrogance in exchange for uniquely useful ideas. His heterodox thinking led him to foresee in some respects both the financial crisis of 2008 and the pandemic of 2020.
I spent 4+ hours coagulating all my highlights and notes. Most bullets are direct quotes or paraphrases of his main points. They are available to browse here.
View my best reviews and a collection of mental models at jasperburns.blog.
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Probably the best of Taleb that I've read... but still not sure how I feel about him. I suspect I am not fully understanding what he is saying at times which makes me wonder what I'm missing. But does that mean it's worth following this thread?