Sir Barken Hyena writes:
Dear Blowhard, Esq.,
I see from your reading list that you read The Black Swan. Interesting book, to say the least. It’s a bit of a mess too. The second, more involved section could have used some pruning. Also, it’s a literary book, as he states, rather than an analytical one, a difference that seems to have tripped up a lot of readers. In this respect it’s also only partly successful, but never mind. He pulls some mighty fat and original rabbits out of his hat, for which I can forgive a lot. So I’d measure it by the areas of the mind it opens up rather than the answers he has.
His overarching points converge on my favorite subject: the increasing harm of technocratic approaches to solving the problems of the world. This is such a broad phenomenon, touching all phases of culture, society and government that it’s importance can hardly be overstated in my mind. Taleb focuses on Finance and Academia but I found resonance with what he said in the arts as well. Technocracy has become a roadblock between us and our future, whatever that might be. Let’s say it together: the world is not a machine!
I’m curious to hear what your thoughts on the book.
Blowhard, Esq.
Callowman
Sherbrooke
Eddie Pensier
Enzo Nakamura
Epaminondas
Fabrizio del Wrongo
Fenster
Brundle Guy
Glynn Marshes
Paleo Retiree
Atypical Neurotic
Question Lady
Sax von Stroheim
Sir Barken Hyena
The Mistaken
Uncouth Reflections 
Looking forward to this exchange. I haven’t read the book but I’ve gone thru a lot of interviews with Taleb, and I alternate between nodding my head enthusiastically and then thinking there isn’t a whole lot more there than just “Hey, shit happens.” Eager to hear your thoughts.
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Gimme a couple of days to collect my oh-so-heady, high-falutin’ thoughts. (Plus it’s been a few months since I read it, so I gotta refresh my memory.)
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Bring it on.
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Keeping people from being fooled by experts is probably one of the top two things necessary in the overhaul of education in the US. Critical thinking and synthetic reasoning stand in stark contrast to each other, but most of the experience using them together is now quarantinted amongst youth team sports coaches and marketing pros. “Okay people! Here’s my theory/story about how we’re gonna get there! But on any given day, it’s kind of a crap shoot. So get over it.”
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