Skin in the game
Subtitle: hidden asymmetries in daily life
By: Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Edition: First edition
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2018
Language: eng
Number of pages: 279
ISBN-13: 9780425284629
Subjects: Information asymmetry; Sociological aspects; Risk-taking (Psychology); Risk; Social aspects; Uncertainty (Information theory); Complexity (Philosophy)
Description: The phrase "skin in the game" is one we have often heard but have rarely stopped to truly dissect. It is the backbone of risk management, but it's also an astonishingly complex worldview that, as Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows in this book, applies to literally all aspects of our lives. In his inimitable style, Taleb pulls on everything from Antaeus the Giant to Hammurabi to Donald Trump to Seneca to the ethics of disagreement to create a jaw-dropping tapestry for understanding our world in a brand new way.

The phrase "skin in the game" means that you do not pay attention to what people say, only to what they do, and to how much of their necks they are putting on the line. This willingness to accept one's own risks is an essential attribute of people in all walks of life. Taleb challenges long-held beliefs about those who control our military, finances, religions, and so much more-- and shows how "skin in the game" applies to all aspects of our lives.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (255-263) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: A first look at agency; title: That greatest asymmetry; title: Wolves among dogs; title: Being alive means taking certain risks; title: Deeper into agency; title: Religion, belief, and skin in the game; title: Risk and rationality; title: Epilogue : what Lindy told me.