After a crisis we tell ourselves we understand why it happened and maintain the illusion that the world is understandable. In fact, we should accept the world is incomprehensible much of the time.

Our memory tells us stories, that is, what we get to keep from our experiences is a story.

It's very easy for trusted companies to mislead naive customers, and life insurance companies are trusted.

Optimistic people play a disproportionate role in shaping our lives. Their decisions make a difference; they are inventors, entrepreneurs, political and military leaders - not average people. They got to where they are by seeking challenges and taking risks.

It was always assumed I would be a professor. I grew up thinking it.

Clearly, the decision-making that we rely on in society is fallible. It's highly fallible, and we should know that.

You are more likely to learn something by finding surprises in your own behavior than by hearing surprising facts about people in general.