The Bed of Procrustes
Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms
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The Bed of Procrustes
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Narrated by:
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Sean Pratt
About this listen
By the author of the modern classic The Black Swan, this collection of aphorisms and meditations expresses his major ideas in ways you least expect.
The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by either stretching them or cutting their limbs. It represents Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s view of modern civilization’s hubristic side effects - modifying humans to satisfy technology, blaming reality for not fitting economic models, inventing diseases to sell drugs, defining intelligence as what can be tested in a classroom, and convincing people that employment is not slavery.
Playful and irreverent, these aphorisms will surprise you by exposing self-delusions you have been living with but never recognized. With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical values of courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness.
©2010 Nassim Nicholas Taleb (P)2010 Gildan Media CorpListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about The Bed of Procrustes
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 30-10-17
Tells you more about the author, than the world.
Like I said.
Also don't read this if you're a self conscious economist. It won't be fun
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
- Nuno
- 22-12-18
Take one aphorism a day
Very good read and I mean the "read" literally, since an audible book is not the ideal format for aphorisms. This should be read at your own pace. I'm definitely going to buy the printed version.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 23-12-19
A book without narrative
I can listen to it on loop. If you are looking for short and insightful quotes that can change your perspective on life... this is it
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Judy Corstjens
- 31-10-13
Fooled by poetry and neat rhetoric
I don't think anybody (pace Oscar Wilde) can write one and a half hours of aphorisms and expect to stay witty, likeable and credible. Mr Taleb ends up sounding rather up-his-own-bum, and, sometimes, just silly. He really doesn't like employment contracts (AKA wage slavery) or people who criticise his writing, and he is overly fond of sounding arty and noble and intellectual. Some of it is funny, and some of it is clever, but most of it just reveals to the reader (sorry, listener) the personality (and personality flaws) of the author. I loved Fooled by Randomness and Black Swan, which is why I tried this book, and I would recommend reading (or re-reading) those rather than trying this.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Al
- 12-11-17
Wonderful selection of bite sized nuggets
Little delicacies of thought, insight and reflection. Not all are the same taste. some are bitter, some crunchy and others with the sweet flowing caramel centre.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sam
- 12-02-17
talebbian wisdom shared in its most pithy purity
a beautiful and oftentimes humorous set of aphorisms that are sure to inspire and amuse those who read (or hear) them
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- The Tuscan
- 11-03-21
Hidden Taleb
The last book I've read in the Incerto series because I didn't think it was going to be that interesting. Wrong again. Nick Taleb provides the reader or listener with a fabulous whirling cornucopia of bon mots and truisms.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Miriam
- 18-03-12
Fun!
Definitely a fun book. Easy on the ear and can actually provide some good talking points to develop with teenage grandsons. I know 'cause I have ;)
My grandson, aged 14, and I spent at least 3 hours on the road every Sunday. This has been a wonderful way of introducing some interesting debates as opposed to what happened previously where either he or I grind our teeth at frustration on the others' choice of music.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gavin Foely
- 24-04-20
Quip filled
Enlightening and, in places, chortle inducing. I deduct one start for the awful introductory music.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Kunde
- 11-11-20
Best time investment one can make
Clear recording of clear observations from a clear thinker. The accuracy of the aforisms may improve your blood pressure as well.
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