The Bed Of Procrustes: Philosophical And Practical Aphorisms
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb /
2010 / English / PDF
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The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the
story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by
either stretching them or cutting their limbs. It represents Nassim
Nicholas Taleb's view of modern civilization's hubristic side
effects-modifying humans to satisfy technology, blaming reality for
not fitting economic models, inventing diseases to sell drugs,
defining intelligence as what can be tested in a classroom, and
convincing people that employment is not slavery.
The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the
story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by
either stretching them or cutting their limbs. It represents Nassim
Nicholas Taleb's view of modern civilization's hubristic side
effects-modifying humans to satisfy technology, blaming reality for
not fitting economic models, inventing diseases to sell drugs,
defining intelligence as what can be tested in a classroom, and
convincing people that employment is not slavery.
Playful and irreverent, these aphorisms will surprise you by
exposing self-delusions you have been living with but never
recognized.
Playful and irreverent, these aphorisms will surprise you by
exposing self-delusions you have been living with but never
recognized.
With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb
plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical values of
courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of
nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness.
With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb
plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical values of
courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of
nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness.
"The most prophetic voice of all." -GQ
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"The hottest thinker in the world." -Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday
Times (London)
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"Idiosyncratically brilliant." -Niall Ferguson, Los Angeles Times