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TESTEMONAIL:  Right and Discordianism allows room for personal interpretation. You have your theories and I have mine. Unlike Christianity, Discordia allows room for ideas and opinions, and mine is well-informed and based on ancient philosophy and theology, so, my neo-Discordian friends, open your minds to my interpretation and I will open my mind to yours. That's fair enough, right? Just claiming to be discordian should mean that your mind is open and willing to learn and share ideas. You guys are fucking bashing me and your laughing at my theologies and my friends know what's up and are laughing at you and honestly this is my last shot at putting a label on my belief structure and your making me lose all hope of ever finding a ideological group I can relate to because you don't even know what the fuck I'm talking about and everything I have said is based on the founding principals of real Discordianism. Expand your mind.

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Antifragile

Started by Cain, December 03, 2012, 02:50:49 PM

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Cain

Taleb has a new book out.

I has it.

Unfortunately, I read the first four chapters while exhausted, and so they did not sink in.  However, the general theme is this: there are things in the world which are fragile, and break easily.  There are things in the world which are resilient, and do not break.  And then there are things which are antifragile, and become better through mistreatment.

Most of the world is built on the first, with some people aiming towards the second.  But Taleb thinks the best way is to go for the third option.

Anyway, more when I get to read it with a clear head.

LMNO

When he says "things", does he mean ideas, investments, physical objects, or something else?

Cain

All of the above.  One of his favourite analogies is Hormesis, but he's talking about political systems, economic systems and more besides.

LMNO

Well, I guess there's another book on my list.

The Good Reverend Roger

Mine, too.  I'm kind of fascinated by the idea of a governmental system that improves with abuse.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Cain

He says the ideal for that is Switzerland.

Elder Iptuous

is there an quintessential example on the dust jacket?

LMNO


The Good Reverend Roger

" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Elder Iptuous

although basing our govenmental systems on Roger's libido is an amazing proposition, i'm having trouble trying to conceptualize any system that becomes stronger with abuse that isn't .... horrible.

Cain

Quote from: Elder Iptuous on December 03, 2012, 04:32:13 PM
is there an quintessential example on the dust jacket?

A triangle.

With horrible, horrible colours behind it.

The triangle stands for fragile/robust/antifragile and also is a highly stable shape.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Elder Iptuous on December 03, 2012, 04:44:14 PM
although basing our govenmental systems on Roger's libido is an amazing proposition, i'm having trouble trying to conceptualize any system that becomes stronger with abuse that isn't .... horrible.

You fuckers leave my libido alone.  It is NOT PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.  It is for MY USE, at MY DISCRETION, with consenting adults or inanimate objects/batches of chemicals as I SEE FIT.

No, base it on my horrible scabby arse, which only gets stronger as I abuse it with Indian food and the whiskey shits.

Hey.  The Whiskey Shits.  That's the best band name EVER.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Nephew Twiddleton

Strange and Terrible Organ Laminator of Yesterday's Heavy Scene
Sentence or sentence fragment pending

Soy El Vaquero Peludo de Oro

TIM AM I, PRIMARY OF THE EXTRA-ATMOSPHERIC SIMIANS

Cainad (dec.)

Quote from: Cain on December 03, 2012, 02:50:49 PM
Taleb has a new book out.

GETTING IT. BRB, AMAZON.

Quote
I has it.

Unfortunately, I read the first four chapters while exhausted, and so they did not sink in.  However, the general theme is this: there are things in the world which are fragile, and break easily.  There are things in the world which are resilient, and do not break.  And then there are things which are antifragile, and become better through mistreatment.

Most of the world is built on the first, with some people aiming towards the second.  But Taleb thinks the best way is to go for the third option.

Anyway, more when I get to read it with a clear head.

Oh, cool! Looking forward to this.





^The above reflects my actual thought process when I first saw this thread. The book is now sitting on my desk, awaiting the end of finals.

Cain

It's sitting on my desk too, along with the latest offering from Robert Greene, Ian C. Esselmont's latest Malazan novel, and Ellroy's American Tabloid trilogy.

I'm hoping to get to it over the holidays, and make some proper notes.