Nassim Nicholas Taleb's Got Bad News For His Legions Of Soccer Mom Fans

Greek god. Philosopher. Adonis. The only person on earth who has earned the right to have an opinion about anything. All appropriate characterizations of one Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and the way at least three-quarters of all living homo sapiens have described NNT in their conversations with friends and in their diaries. And while his many admirers have surely studied him in great detail in the hopes of one day having the opportunity to unlock his heart or simply bask in his reflected glory for a moment or two, not everyone has a comprehensive list of the things that rev Taleb's engine and, more importantly, that tick him off. Luckily, a recent profile by Chronicle writer Tom Bartlett has produced a near-complete guide to the likes and dislikes of Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Read it, print it out, carry it in your pocket-- but really, consider taking the time to commit it to memory. Your chance may only come along once and you don't want to fuck it up by fumbling around your notes because you can't remember what his thoughts are on "bourgeois bohemian bonus earners" or fruit.
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Greek god. Philosopher. Adonis. The only person on earth who has earned the right to have an opinion about anything. All appropriate characterizations of one Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and the way at least three-quarters of all living homo sapiens have described NNT in their conversations with friends and in their diaries. And while his many admirers have surely studied him in great detail in the hopes of one day having the opportunity to unlock his heart or simply bask in his reflected glory for a moment or two, not everyone has a comprehensive list of the things that rev Taleb's engine and, more importantly, that tick him off. Luckily, a recent profile by Chronicle writer Tom Bartlett has produced a near-complete guide to the likes and dislikes of Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Read it, print it out, carry it in your pocket-- but really, consider taking the time to commit it to memory. Your chance may only come along once and you don't want to fuck it up by fumbling around your notes because you can't remember what his thoughts are on "bourgeois bohemian bonus earners" or fruit.

Likes:

Pumping iron ("He writes in Antifragile that readers, upon meeting him, 'have a rough time dealing with an intellectual who has the appearance of a bodyguard.' I wouldn't have guessed bodyguard, though he is thicker—thanks to a newfound love of weightlifting")

Smart sciences

Sandals

People with "skin in the game"

Double espressos

Guessing games ("He asked me how much I thought he made during the crisis. 'I don't know,' I said. 'Guess.' 'Five million?' He laughed. 'Try times 10,' he said.")

Footnotes

Dislikes:

Professors

Business schools ("specifically the one at Harvard," which "lectures birds to fly and then arrogantly claim credit when the fledglings become airborne")

Structured learning

Fruits without Greek or Hebrew names

Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig

Editors

"Unctuous, fawning travel assistants"

"Bourgeois bohemian bonus earners"

Meetings

Appointments

Doctors

Paul Krugman

Thomas Friedman

Nerds

Bureaucrats

Air conditioning

TV

Soccer moms

Smooth surfaces

Federal Reserve bankers

Bankers period

Economists ("weak, ignorant, fearful, and generally pathetic")

Robert C. Merton

Myron Scholes

Gary Pisano

Career academics

Sissies

Fakes

"Bureaucrato-journalistic talk"

Bob Rubin

Google News

Marketing

Neckties

"The inexorable disloyalty of Mother Nature"

Social sciences

Regular shoes

Hope this was helpful. Good luck out there.

This Is Not A Profile Of Nassim Taleb [Chronicle]
Related: Nassim Nicholas Taleb Became The Chiseled Adonis You See Before You Through A Strict Regimen Of Picking Up Rocks And Lying In Bed For Two Years

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Nassim Nicholas Taleb Became The Chiseled Adonis You See Before You Through A Strict Regimen Of Picking Up Rocks And Lying In Bed For Two Years

Have you ever gazed upon classical Greek philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb and thought to yourself, "That man has a body from the gods. I could never hope to match him in brains, but what about brawn? If only I could obtain the details of his diet and fitness regimen"? Well, friends, today is your lucky day. Despite still being on his second tour of self-imposed quiet time, Taleb granted several interviews to publications reviewing his new book, "Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder," and, naturally, the topic of his physique came up, specifically the various ways he keeps it in such enviable shape. (He also touches on the exercises that led to him having a brain three times the size of the typical astrophysicist, though please note that these should be appreciated but not be attempted by average humans, who could hurt themselves quite badly.)

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Nassim Taleb Is On His Second Round Of Self-Imposed Quiet Time

Several years back, in response to the news that Ben Bernanke would be reappointed Fed Chairman, Nassim Nicholas Taleb made an announcement that he would be retreating from society. "What I am seeing...is to much for me to bear," Taleb wrote. "I am not blaming Bernanke (he doesn't even know he doesn't understand how things work); it is the Senators appointing him who are totally irresponsible...I need to withdraw as immediately as possible into the Platonic quiet of my library, work on my next book, find solace in science and philosophy, and mull the next step...I will only (briefly) emerge from my hiatus when the publishers force me to do so upon the publication of the paperback edition of The Black Swan. Bye, Nassim." NNT reintroduced himself to the world at some point in 2010 or 2011 but now, apparently, he has once again decided to pick up his black swans and leave, as people getting in touch with him to star in their movie, blurb their book, or pick his large and intimidating brain recently learned. AUTOREPLY (Please ignore this message if you are a personal friend or engaged in an ongoing correspondence). Dear correspondent; I am currently disengaged from the rest of the world (until November 2012). I had to stop replying to emails outside of the strictly personal (friends, family, citizens of Amioun, etc.), except for extremely important/urgent matters. Please note that, except for emergencies & appointments, I reply to mails with an equivalent frequency to that of classical letters. (REQUESTS: Also note that 1) I no longer do media interviews (except those scheduled by publishers), 2) can no longer endorse books, 3) do not participate in documentary films, 4) will not give lectures in Asia, Australia, and other places entailing severe jetlag, etc.) I apologize for the inconvenience. Nassim Taleb Still Has the Most Nassim Taleb Auto-Reply Email Ever [NYO] Earlier: Nassim Taleb Swears He’s Done With This Place, Signs Off In A Huff– Who Should He Take With Him?