Taleb's category beyond robust: things that gain from disorder because their payoff is convex, so shocks help more than they hurt. The portfolio expression is the barbell - most capital in the very safe, a sliver in convex long shots, and nothing in between, least of all short-volatility positions dressed up as income. Prefer positions you would welcome a crisis into over positions that merely survive one.
Rare, unforeseen, high-impact events drive history, explained only after the fact.
“The message of The Black Swan is how important it is to realize that the things everyone rules out can still come to pass.” — Howard Marks
Source: Oaktree memo 'The Limits to Negativism'
Recommended by: Howard Marks, Marc Andreessen, Nat Eliason and 18 others
Incerto volume 4
“Nassim Taleb, author of the new book Antifragile, praises volatility and criticises those who would artificially damp it at great unseen cost. Taleb advises us to be 'anti-fragile'. This is exactly…” — Seth Klarman
Source: Klarman on Taleb's praise of volatility and what Baupost strives for
Recommended by: Mohnish Pabrai, Nat Eliason and 25 others
Austrian roundabout investing: accept losses now for a stronger position later.
Incerto volume 5
Recommended by: Nat Eliason, Ana Fabrega, Ben Horowitz and 12 others
Three false beliefs taught to young Americans, and how they harm their minds.
Recommended by: Eric Weinstein, Julian Shapiro and 2 others
Geometric against arithmetic returns, and what a drawdown really costs.