Risking One's Own Skin. The Hidden Asymmetry of Everyday Life

In his sharply provocative and simultaneously extremely pragmatic book, the inimitable Nassim Taleb discusses the importance of identifying and filtering nonsense, distinguishing theory from practice, and superficial competence from genuine expertise. You will learn what rationality means in complex systems and the real world, symmetry and asymmetry, and what the logic of risk-taking consists of. By infusing familiar concepts such as "fair society," "professional success," "personal responsibility" with new meaning, and not fearing to offend the egos of recognized idols, Taleb debunks the hypocrisy of the ideologists behind military interventions in Iraq and Libya; the failures of Nobel laureates in economics who have bankrupted banks and investment funds; and deceitful religious preachers. Using examples from Hammurabi and Jesus Christ, Roman and Byzantine emperors, Stoic philosophers, and modern successful businessmen, Taleb shows that the main quality that unites them all is "putting one's skin and soul on the line," rather than shifting risk onto others.