
Fool Who Walks Randomly: Finding Hidden Opportunities in the Markets and in Life
[US] Nassim Nicholas Taleb
CITIC Press
2019-09-01
BackSummary
Taleb's life is characterized by uncertainty, random phenomena are everywhere, and ups and downs often happen in a moment. When the black swan of randomness appears, you may become rich overnight, or you may return to the starting point in a mistake. But we are naturally inclined to...
Highlights
The following are some wonderful sentences or paragraphs selected from the book "Fooled by Randomness". These sentences or paragraphs have their own characteristics, some are profound, some are unique in perspective, some are beautiful in language, some are full of wisdom, and some are creative. I will present them in three parts, numbered 1-7, 8-14, and 15-20. Part I (Sentences) 1. "Uncertainty is an inherent characteristic of our world, and we often underestimate it." - This sentence reveals the blind confidence we often have when facing the unknown. 2. "Randomness is a sieve, and only the strong can survive." - The author uses concise language to explain the principle of survival of the fittest. 3. "History and society do not crawl, they jump. They jump from one fault to another with only a few swings in between, and we (and historians) like to believe that we can predict small gradual evolutions." - A profound insight into the nonlinear development of history and society. 4. "We tend to overestimate our understanding of the world and underestimate the inevitable contingency in events." - Points out the limitations of human cognition. 5. "Black Swan events tell us that rare events, once they occur, will have extreme effects." - This is an incisive summary of the "Black Swan Theory". 6. "Don't attribute your success to your own talent and hard work, but recognize the huge role of luck." - This sentence reminds us to look at our achievements with humility. 7. "In a world of randomness, we need to learn to adapt rather than try to control it." - This sentence proposes an effective strategy for dealing with uncertainty. Part II (paragraph) 8. "Many things in life follow the power law, which means that although the probability of extreme events is low, once they occur, their impact will be huge. We often ignore this because our brains are more likely to understand linear and evenly distributed things." - This passage explains why we are always surprised and caught off guard by extreme events. 9. "Success is often accidental rather than inevitable. However, we always tend to attribute success to personal talent and hard work, while ignoring the role of luck. This cognitive bias will make us make mistakes in future decisions." - The author reminds us to look at success and failure rationally here. 10. "History is made up of a series of nonlinear events, which often have complex interactions. Therefore, it is very dangerous to try to predict the future through simple linear models." - This passage emphasizes the complexity and unpredictability of history. 11. "In the field of investment, the failure of Long-Term Capital Management is a typical example that proves that even the smartest people cannot fully grasp the randomness of the market." - The author uses specific cases to illustrate the unpredictability of the market. 12. "We need to learn to distinguish between signals and noise. In a world full of randomness, many seemingly important information is just noise." - This passage teaches us how to keep a clear mind in a world of information overload. 13. "Adaptability is the key to biological evolution and the key to our survival in a random world. Only those people and organizations that can adapt to changes can survive in this world full of uncertainty." - The author emphasizes the importance of adaptability here. 14. "Randomness exists not only in financial markets, but also in all aspects of our lives. From climate change to social change, from personal career development to interpersonal relationships, the ubiquitous randomness makes it impossible for us to fully control our own destiny." - This passage expands the scope of application of the concept of randomness. Part 3 (Paragraph) 15. "Many choices in life are not as clear-cut as we imagine. Many times, the choices we make are just because we happen to be in a certain environment and situation, not because we really make the most wise decision."-This passage reveals the randomness behind decision-making. 16. "We are often afraid and uneasy about unknown things, but it is this unknown that provides us with unlimited possibilities and opportunities. Only those who dare to embrace uncertainty can seize opportunities in this ever-changing world."-The author encourages us to face the unknown bravely. 17. "In the process of pursuing our goals, we often encounter various unexpected difficulties and challenges. These difficulties and challenges are not obstacles to stop us from moving forward, but touchstones to test our will and determination."-This passage gives difficulties and challenges a positive meaning. 18. "True wisdom lies not in being able to predict the future, but in being able to admit one's ignorance and learn to adapt to the ever-changing environment."-The author puts forward the standard of true wisdom here. 19. "Every experience in life is a valuable learning opportunity, whether it is a success or a failure. We should cherish every experience, learn lessons from it, and constantly improve ourselves." - This passage emphasizes the value of experience. 20. "In a world of randomness, nothing is constant. Only those people and organizations who can continue to learn and innovate can remain competitive in this changing world." - The author uses this sentence as a conclusion to encourage us to keep learning and innovating.
About the Author
Title: Nassim Nicholas Taleb: A Philosopher Exploring Randomness and Uncertainty Nassim Nicholas Taleb is an American statistician, risk management expert, former trader, and best-selling author.< He is known for his in-depth research on randomness, uncertainty, and probability theory.
Taleb's works have not only had a wide impact in academia, but also provided readers with valuable insights on how to make wise decisions in a complex world.< Basic Personal Information Taleb was born into a wealthy family in Lebanon with a rich business and political background.
He developed a strong interest in philosophy and mathematics at a young age, which laid the foundation for his later academic career.< Education and Career Background Taleb received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and science from the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, and then received a master's degree and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.
His academic research mainly focuses on probability theory and statistics.< Before becoming a writer, Taleb worked as a trader on Wall Street and accumulated rich experience in financial markets.
Writing Career Taleb's writing career began in the early 21st century.< His first work, Fooled by Randomness, attracted widespread attention as soon as it was published.
Since then, he has published many books, including The Black Swan, Antifragile, and Nonlinear and Asymmetric, forming the "uncertainty tetralogy".< Work style and theme Taleb's works are known for their easy-to-understand language and rich examples.
He is good at presenting complex statistical and probability concepts to readers in an easy-to-understand way.< The themes of his works mainly focus on randomness, uncertainty, risk management, and how to make wise decisions in an unpredictable world.
Personal life Taleb attaches great importance to privacy in his personal life, and there are few reports about his private life.< However, his works and public speeches reveal his deep interest in philosophy, history, and culture.
Social influence Taleb's theories have had a profound impact on the financial, business and academic communities.< His views have been cited by many professionals and scholars, and have important implications for risk management and decision-making.
At the same time, his work has also been criticized by some, who believe that his views are too pessimistic or that he overemphasizes randomness.< Quotes and comments The New York Times once described Taleb's work as "a powerful challenge to modern financial theory", while The Economist called him "a philosopher in the financial world".
Despite the controversy, Taleb's influence and contribution cannot be ignored.< Latest developments Taleb is still continuing his writing and research work, and he often shares his latest thoughts on randomness and uncertainty on social media.
In addition, he actively participates in public speeches and seminars to share his insights with readers and professionals.< In short, Nassim Nicholas Taleb is an influential writer and thinker in the field of randomness and uncertainty.
His work provides us with a unique perspective on how to make wise decisions in a complex world, which is worthy of our in-depth reading and thinking.