Book Review
The Black Swan (by Nassim Nicholas Taleb)
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- The silent power of Taleb’s idea is its generality. Black Swans are everywhere: in the realm of foreign policy, the finance industry, and even our personal lives. Just think of how unlikely it was that your parents met, at that particular time, at that particular location. Or how a writer struck it big with a bestseller. And so on.
- Taleb’s thesis also presents a call to action. Every day, we can act so as to maximize our exposure to “positive Black Swans” — those once-in-a-lifetime events that will dramatically improve our lives. But simultaneously, we must act so as to minimize our exposure to “negative Black Swans” — which can cripple us beyond repair.
- This book is very much a stream of consciousness. It is Taleb’s trenchant commentary on the prevailing view. It is caustic toward “philosophers,” whom Taleb understands to support the status quo. It is full of quips. It is honest and incisive. But this radical candor is also the book’s biggest weakness. At times, Taleb can veer into derogation for the subjects of his criticism, which makes it difficult to concentrate on the ideas at the bottom of the rhetoric.
- “The Black Swan” has undoubtedly changed the way I think and made me far more open to taking chances.