24. The Enduring Charm of Humility

Nassim Nicholas Taleb remains one of the world’s most brilliant minds. While my theories compare to his the way that a child’s crayon drawing compares to The Last Supper, I do admire his thinking and articulation (I say all of this while admitting I don’t fully understand all of his concepts; some are just beyond my grasp).

However, I consistently feel disappointed whenever I watch / listen to his interviews. He is so very dismissive of other intellectuals, including the likes of Thomas Piketty. He does make arguments for why he thinks someone is ‘a fool’, but calling everyone a fool is no way of endearing yourself to a serious audience. It makes me think of what opinion he would have of me if I were to have a conversation with him. Instead of being patient with me, considerate of my limitations, and appreciative of my admiration for him, he would probably brand me an abject moron and have me hauled away to an asylum.

I know I am over-simplifying it here, but I really wish that people of his caliber would at least feign, if not embody, more humility. His brilliance would not then be tarnished by his arrogance.

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Finding Satisfaction

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Chronicle of a life spent figuring out what life is about.