Extremistan: Why Improbable Events Have a Huge Impact

Extremistan: Why Improbable Events Have a Huge Impact

What is Extremistan? Where is it? Where does the word come from? What elements of our lives fall under the purview of Extremistan? Extremistan is a term coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to explain the randomness and deviations from the mean of most social, man-made aspects of human society. The term was popularized by Taleb’s book The Black Swan. We’ll cover what Extremistan is, how it differs from Mediocristan, what kinds of events and characteristics come from the land of Extremistan, and why Extremistan often makes prediction impossible.

Road of Trials: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 6 (Explained)

Road of Trials: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 6 (Explained)

What is stage 6 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the “road of trials”? The road of trials is the stage of a hero’s journey during which the hero undergoes a series of trials and tests. The road of trails is stage 6 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Will cover what the road of trials may look like and explore two examples of a hero on the road of trials.

What Is a “Black Swan” Event? The Ultimate Guide

What Is a “Black Swan” Event? The Ultimate Guide

What is a black swan event? Can you predict black swan events? Prepare for them? Avoid them? A black swan event is an extremely unpredictable event that has a massive impact on human society. These include positive Black Swans, like the invention of the Internet and the discovery of antibiotics, as well as negative Black Swans, like the 2008 recession. We’ll define black swan events, look at “black swan” event examples, and discuss how best to prepare for them.

Refusal of the Call: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 2 (Explained)

Refusal of the Call: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 2 (Explained)

What is stage 2 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey? What is the “refusal of the call”? The refusal of the call is the initial reluctance of a hero to follow the steps of their destiny and heed the call of adventure. The refusal of the call is stage 2 of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, from The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We’ll cover what the refusal of the call entails and look at an example of a hero refusing the call.

Call to Adventure: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 1 (Explained)

Call to Adventure: The Hero’s Journey, Stage 1 (Explained)

What is the “call to adventure” in the hero’s journey? What step in the hero’s journey is it? In Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the call to adventure is the first stage of the 17 stages of the hero’s journey. It is during this stage that the hero discovers a hidden world of possibility. We’ll cover the elements of the “call to adventure” stage of the hero’s journey and look at three examples.

The 17 Hero’s Journey Steps: The Complete Guide

The 17 Hero’s Journey Steps: The Complete Guide

How many hero’s journey steps are there? What are they? Where did they come from? In Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces, there are 17 hero’s journey steps. The Hero With a Thousand Faces is a journey through the world’s mythological traditions, from the ancient Egyptians, to the Romans, the Hindu and Buddhist legends of the east, and the folk-tales and foundation myths of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and Oceania. We’ll cover the 17 hero’s journey steps and what happens in each stage of Campbell’s hero’s journey cycle.

Monomyth: 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Monomyth: 17 Stages of the Hero’s Journey

What’s a monomyth? How many monomyth stages are there? What are they? Where did they come from? The monomyth is a template that shows the hero’s journey common in many myths, folktales, and religions. The monomyth is an expression from James Joyce but was popularized by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces. We’ll dive into the monomyth definition above and cover the 17 stages of monomyths and what happens to the hero in each.

Explained: “In the Midst of Chaos, There Is Also Opportunity” (Sun Tzu)

Explained: “In the Midst of Chaos, There Is Also Opportunity” (Sun Tzu)

In Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, the author advises that “in the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” What does Tzu mean by this? We’ll cover what’s involved when mobilizing an attack, how to use both orthodox and unorthodox actions to confuse your opponent, and what Tzu means when he says, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”