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cnewquist 's review for:
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
This is a challenging book in many ways. The central thesis—that we live in fragile world, and we need to refocus on building a more antifragile one—is a profoundly thought-provoking idea. Right now, in fact, I find myself wondering: is America fragile or antifragile? Is it becoming stronger in this very moment when there is so much suffering and strife? Or is it crumbling before our eyes? Only time will tell, I suppose.
I read “The Black Swan” about a dozen years ago, and I was reminded of a couple things:
1) Taleb is at once both an extremely likable and obnoxious narrator. He is a gifted storyteller, using fun anecdotes and real-world examples that teach and entertain. He can be funny and charming. He can also be incredibly petty and irritable. Thankfully he’s irritable with people who actually deserve it, intellectuals, influentials, wealthy corporate executives and other elites who rarely have their ideas and egos checked in meaningful ways. However, Taleb also cannot resist getting high on his own supply, marveling at his own intellect while cutting someone else down in the same breath. I can’t really decide whether I like him or not. I guess that’s part of the challenge.
2) His ideas are wildly misunderstood. Another current example: “Black Swans” are mentioned in mass media regularly. By Taleb’s definition, this should not be possible. Black Swans are supposed to be *rare* and *unpredictable* and so if they’re on the lips of talking heads (e.g., “What is the next Black Swan?”) then it cannot be a Black Swan. Today, people are asking if the pandemic is a Black Swan. Of course not! People have been predicting and warning about pandemics for years. Taleb has grumbled on the record about this.
So with that in mind, it’s entirely possible that my grasp of this topic—to the extent I have one—is completely off base. That I’ll come away from this book trying to apply, think more about, or recognize resilience than antifragility in daily life. I guess having some self-awareness gives me a better chance at not misunderstanding antifragility, but it’s not a guarantee of success.
I read “The Black Swan” about a dozen years ago, and I was reminded of a couple things:
1) Taleb is at once both an extremely likable and obnoxious narrator. He is a gifted storyteller, using fun anecdotes and real-world examples that teach and entertain. He can be funny and charming. He can also be incredibly petty and irritable. Thankfully he’s irritable with people who actually deserve it, intellectuals, influentials, wealthy corporate executives and other elites who rarely have their ideas and egos checked in meaningful ways. However, Taleb also cannot resist getting high on his own supply, marveling at his own intellect while cutting someone else down in the same breath. I can’t really decide whether I like him or not. I guess that’s part of the challenge.
2) His ideas are wildly misunderstood. Another current example: “Black Swans” are mentioned in mass media regularly. By Taleb’s definition, this should not be possible. Black Swans are supposed to be *rare* and *unpredictable* and so if they’re on the lips of talking heads (e.g., “What is the next Black Swan?”) then it cannot be a Black Swan. Today, people are asking if the pandemic is a Black Swan. Of course not! People have been predicting and warning about pandemics for years. Taleb has grumbled on the record about this.
So with that in mind, it’s entirely possible that my grasp of this topic—to the extent I have one—is completely off base. That I’ll come away from this book trying to apply, think more about, or recognize resilience than antifragility in daily life. I guess having some self-awareness gives me a better chance at not misunderstanding antifragility, but it’s not a guarantee of success.