Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life (Incerto, #5)

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Assistance moves you one step away from authenticity.

Because, to repeat, life is sacrifice and risk taking, and nothing that doesn’t entail some moderate amount of the former, under the constraint of satisfying the latter, is close to what we can call life.

Courage (risk taking) is the highest virtue. We need entrepreneurs.

We are largely collaborative—except when institutions get in the way. I surmise that if we put those “people wanting to help” in the State Department on paid vacation to do ceramics, pottery, or whatever low-testosterone people do when they take a sabbatical, it would be great for peace.

🔥🔥

Real people are interested in commonalities and peace, not conflicts and wars.

Survival comes first, truth, understanding, and science later.

Yes.