People have the problem of denial. This is one of the things I learned in Lebanon. Everybody who left Beirut when the war started, including my parents, said, 'Oh, its temporary.' It lasted 17 years! People tend to underestimate the gravity of these situations. That's how they work.
Nassim Nicholas TalebNever, never, never think - that's one lesson you should have in life. Never think that lack of variability is stability.
Nassim Nicholas TalebThe problem of knowledge is that there are many more books on birds written by ornithologists than books on birds written by birds and books on ornithologists written by birds
Nassim Nicholas TalebMy nightmare scenario is that the government saves Citibank once again, as well as the other banks, and business resumes as usual. Then, the next time the system breaks, it breaks much, much bigger.
Nassim Nicholas TalebYou will get the most attention from those who hate you. No friend, no admirer and no partner will flatter you with as much curiosity.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb