Fragility implies more to lose than to gain, equals more downside than upside,
equals (unfavorable) asymmetry
and
Antifragility implies more to gain than to lose, equals more upside than
downside, equals (favorable) asymmetry.
@nntaleb
To become a successful philosopher king, it is
much better to start as a king than as a philosopher, as illustrated in the following
contemporary story.
@nntaleb
You can’t predict in general, but you can predict that those who rely on predictions
are taking more risks, will have some trouble, perhaps even go bust.
@nntaleb
@TalebWisdom There are ample empirical findings to the effect that providing someone with a random
numerical forecast increases his risk taking, even if the person knows the projections
are random.
@nntaleb
@TalebWisdom Every time you visit a doctor and get a treatment, you incur
risks of such medical harm, which should be analyzed the way we analyze other trade-
offs:
@nntaleb
Its system, even in banking during my days, was based on
apprenticeship models, nearly vocational rather than the theoretical ones. In other
words, on techne (crafts and know how), not episteme (book knowledge, know what).
@nntaleb
Note another element of Switzerland: it is perhaps the most successful country in
history, yet it has traditionally had a very low level of university education compared
to the rest of the rich nations....
This is the central illusion in life: that randomness is risky, that it is a bad thing—and
that eliminating randomness is done by eliminating randomness.
@nntaleb
My dream—the solution—is that we would have a National Entrepreneur Day, with the
following message:
Most of you will fail, disrespected, impoverished, but we are grateful for the risks
you are taking and the sacrifices you are making for the sake of the economic
.....
Heroism and the respect it commands is a form of compensation by society for those
who take risks for others. And entrepreneurship is a risky and heroic activity, necessary
for growth or even the mere survival of the economy.
@nntaleb
@TalebWisdom Every plane crash brings us closer to safety, improves the system, and makes the next
flight safer—those who perish contribute to the overall safety of others.
@nntaleb