paigemcloughlin 's review for:

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

5.0

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I read this most recently during my hospital stay for my breakdown last week. Taleb has Libertarianish politics which is understandable given his Wall Street background (I don't like Libertarian politics as I will make clear on political books I review.) I like this book however with observations on life infused with stoic wisdom disguised as a book on statistics and the concept of Anti-fragility or systems that get stronger with the random knocks applied to them. Applies the idea of hormesis (a small dose of poison protects against bigger later doses) See the book the Poison King about the Hellenistic ruler on this. Anyway, Taleb divides his categories into three systems fragile systems, robust systems, and antifragile. Fragile stuff breaks easily, robust stuff is largely indifferent to shocks, and anti-fragile stuff gets stronger with shocks. Machinery be it material or more conceptual that is fragile breaks under shocks think intricate, delicate and complicated contraptions, with lots of interconnected moving parts, Robust is usually more simple devices which can take a knock and keep going, Anti-fragile systems are strangely often complex with black box features that get stronger through and evolving process that toughens them over time. Hence modern preferences for new shiny intricate toys are a problem quite often. Robust simplicity is better but to really make for long-lasting devices you need them to evolve and stand up to slings and arrows of outrageous fortune hence a preference for old and tried and true is probably a safer prejudice. I like the ideas probably have to work some to make it meld with my favored political preferences.