Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Physical

In Circulation

Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

In The Black Swan, Taleb showed us that highly improbable and unpredictable events underlie almost everything about our world. Here Taleb stands uncer­tainty on its head, making it desirable, even necessary. The antifragile is beyond the resilient or robust. The resil­ient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better and better.

Just as human bones get stronger when subjected to stress and tension, many things in life benefit from stress, disorder, volatility, and turmoil. What Taleb has identified and calls antifragile are things that not only gain from chaos but need it in order to survive and flourish.

Antifragile is a blueprint for living in a Black Swan world. Erudite, witty, and iconoclastic, Taleb's message is revolutionary: the antifragile, and only the antifragile, will make it.

'The hottest thinker in the world' Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times

What will you learn from this book

  1. Antifragility Defined: Taleb introduces the concept of antifragility, contrasting it with fragility and robustness. Antifragile systems not only withstand disorder and volatility but benefit from them.

  2. Risk and Uncertainty: The book emphasizes the distinction between risk and uncertainty. Taleb argues that antifragile systems are well-suited to thrive in an uncertain world where risks are hard to predict.

  3. Skin in the Game: Taleb discusses the importance of having "skin in the game" to align incentives and ensure accountability. Decision-makers should bear the consequences of their choices.

  4. Black Swan Events: Taleb introduces the idea of Black Swan events—rare, unpredictable, and highly impactful occurrences. Antifragile systems are better prepared to navigate and benefit from such events.

  5. Optionality: The concept of optionality is highlighted, emphasizing the value of having multiple options and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

  6. Decentralization: Taleb advocates for decentralized systems, arguing that they are often more antifragile than centralized ones. Distributed decision-making and redundancy contribute to resilience.

  7. Localism vs. Globalism: The book may discuss the benefits of localism and the drawbacks of overreliance on global systems. Localized and decentralized structures can be more antifragile.

  8. Barbell Strategy: Taleb introduces the barbell strategy, which involves balancing extreme risks with extreme safety measures. This strategy aims to protect against severe downside while allowing for exposure to positive uncertainty.

  9. Via Negativa: The principle of via negativa suggests that often, the removal of negatives or simplification is more beneficial than adding positives. Eliminating fragilities can contribute to antifragility.

  10. Lindy Effect: Taleb introduces the Lindy Effect, suggesting that the longer something has survived, the longer its future life expectancy. Antifragile systems tend to exhibit this quality.

Language English
ISBN-10 9780141038223
ISBN-13 9780141038223
No of pages 472
Font Size Medium
Book Publisher penguin
Published Date 06 Jun 2013

About Author

Author : Nassim Nicholas Taleb

6 Books

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