We all know that one person. The kind of person who is always spouting off about how they are “so much smarter than everyone else.” The kind of person who loves to hear themselves talk, and who loves nothing more than to let everyone around them know just how much smarter they are. Well, today, I want to talk about that person. But more specifically, I want to talk about whether or not that person is actually as intelligent as they think they are.
Namely, I want to talk about Nassim Taleb.
Now, before we get started, it’s important to note that there is a difference between being intelligent and being knowledgeable. Anyone can become knowledgeable about a subject by doing some research and reading up on it. intelligence, on the other hand, is the ability to see beyond the surface level and understand things on a deeper level.
So with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the things Nassim Taleb has said over the years and see if we can determine whether or not he is actually as intelligent as he claims to be.
In an interview with Wired magazine , Taleb had this to say when asked about his thought process:
“I start by observing things that bother me or from which I suffer from,” he says. “Everyday life is full of problems, small and large.” Once he’s identified a problem, he asks himself how he would solve it using just “four lines of code.” If he can’t find a simple solution, he drops the idea and moves on.”
Hmmm…well that doesn’t sound too intelligent to me. In fact, it sounds like Taleb is just regurgitating something he read in a self-help book . But maybe I’m being too harsh. After all, not everyone is cut out for deep philosophical conversations about the nature of life and existence. Maybe Taleb is just trying to keep things simple so that everyone can understand him.
Unfortunately, things don’t get any better when we take a look at some of the other things Taleb has said over the years. For instance, in an interview with Business Insider , Taleb had this gem of wisdom to share:
“The scientific method is not suited for dealing with rare events,” he told us . “You cannot test for them — they happen too infrequently — so you have to rely on induction.”
Huh? induction? What does that even mean? It sounds like Taleb is just making words up at this point.
And finally, in an interview with CNBC , Taleb had this to say:
“I’m short Elon Musk,” Taleb told us . “People confuse luck versus skill … He might be lucky for another 10 years but people will realize eventually [he’s] not producing anything new.”
Okay, so maybe that last one wasn’t so bad. I mean, it’s not exactly deep or profound but at least it makes sense . But still, overall I think it’s safe to say that Nassim Taleb is not nearly as intelligent as he thinks he is.
Nassim Taleb likes to think of himself as a genius-level intellect but the truth is far from it. Yes, he may be knowledgeable about certain subjects but when it comes to actual intelligence, Taleb falls woefully short. So next time you’re looking for someone to have a deep and meaningful conversation with, you’re better off talking to someone else.