The classical man's worst fear was inglorious death; the modern man's worst fear is just death Nassim Nicholas Taleb More Quotes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb More Quotes From Nassim Nicholas Taleb Wit seduces by signaling intelligence without nerdiness. Nassim Nicholas Taleb nerdinessseducingwit Cumulative errors depend largely on the big surprises, the big opportunities. Not only do economic, financial, and political predictors miss them, but they are quite ashamed to say anything outlandish to their clients and yet events, it turns out, are almost always outlandish. Nassim Nicholas Taleb errorspoliticalopportunity I lift heavy weights and sprint, but I am so bad at it that I develop severe injuries. Nassim Nicholas Taleb injuryheavyweight What they call "play" (gym, travel, sports) looks like work. Nassim Nicholas Taleb playsportslooks Scepticism is effortful and costly. It is better to be sceptical about matters of large consequences, and be imperfect, foolish and human in the small and the aesthetic. Nassim Nicholas Taleb imperfectmatterfoolish The book is the only medium left that hasn't been corrupted by the profane. Nassim Nicholas Taleb profanemediumsbook I no longer care about the financial system. I gave them my roadmap. OK? Thanks, bye. I've no idea what's going on. I'm disconnected. I'm totally disengaged. Nassim Nicholas Taleb caregoodbyeideas But it remains the case that you know what is wrong with a lot more confidence than you know what is right. Nassim Nicholas Taleb remainscasesknows Failure saves lives. In the airline industry, every time a plane crashes the probability of the next crash is lowered by that. The Titanic saved lives because we're building bigger and bigger ships. So these people died, but we have effectively improved the safety of the system, and nothing failed in vain. Nassim Nicholas Taleb failuresafetypeople The payoff of a human venture is, in general, inversely proportional to what it is expected to be. Nassim Nicholas Taleb payoffventurehumans Aesthetics, ethics, and many good things in humans are contagious. Nassim Nicholas Taleb contagiousethicsgood-things I don't read the papers; I stopped reading the papers. I read the papers only during periods of crisis, and I think papers are too long on a regular day and too short days when we have a crisis. Nassim Nicholas Taleb readinglongthinking Scientists may be in the business of laughing at their predecessors, but owing to an array of human mental dispositions, few realize that someone will laugh at their beliefs in the (disappointingly near) future. Nassim Nicholas Taleb owingmaylaughing Luck is the grand equalizer. Nassim Nicholas Taleb equalizerluck For many people, commuting is the worst part of the day, and policies that can make commuting shorter and more convenient would be a straightforward way to reduce minor but widespread suffering. Nassim Nicholas Taleb sufferingwould-bepeople You have family-owned businesses that have been around for 500 years. You cannot name a corporation that survives intact for even a few decades. Nassim Nicholas Taleb corporationsnamesyears When you write, you don't have the social constraints of having people in front of you, so you talk about abstract matters. Nassim Nicholas Taleb matterwritingpeople Don't read newspapers for the news (just for the gossip and, of course, profiles of authors). The best filter to know if the news matters is if you hear it in cafes, restaurants... or (again) parties. Nassim Nicholas Taleb filtersgossipparty A good maxim allows you to have the last word without even starting a conversation. Nassim Nicholas Taleb startinglastsconversation A prophet is not someone with special visions, just someone blind to most of what others see Nassim Nicholas Taleb visionblindspecial
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