Society Archives

Modern Education Breeds “Intellectuals, Yet Idiots”

What does Taleb mean by “Intellectual, Yet Idiot”? What are the defining traits of someone whom Taleb would consider Intellectual, Yet Idiot? “Intellectual, Yet Idiot” is a term coined by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to refer to a type of person who lacks “skin in the game”—that, who is averse to risk. Taleb argues that Intellectual, Yet Idiots create flawed systems because the concept of skin in the game is totally foreign to them. They would never think to dissect a situation in terms of risk, and as a result, they fundamentally misunderstand many aspects of life. In this article, we’ll

B. Anderson: The Origins of National Consciousness

How did nationalism develop? What was it like to live in the pre-nationalist age? Political scientist and historian Benedict Anderson says that the ideology of “nationalism” is a fairly recent social construct. Before nationalism, people would identify themselves with their occupation, or village, and political communities were ruled by dynastic sovereigns rather than governments. Keep reading to learn about the origins of national consciousness, according to Benedict Anderson.

Mitigating Political Polarization in America

What are the dangers of political polarization? What might some solutions be to mitigate political polarization in America? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, party polarization tends to lead to the erosion of democratic norms and the destruction of democracy. They define polarization as the disappearance of the middle ground in politics, in which parties do not differ merely on basic ideology or matters of public policy—but, instead, are sorted into mutually incompatible worldviews. In this article, we’ll discuss Levitsky and Ziblatt’s solution to the extreme partisan divide.

Centralized Government Does More Harm Than Good

What are the disadvantages of centralized government? Why does concentrating power in one central authority do more harm than good? In his book Skin in the Game, Nassim Taleb argues that centralization of power is not just suboptimal, but damaging to human societies. Large governments manage such large, complex systems that their intervention and attempts at restructuring are far more likely to be harmful than beneficial. In this article, we’ll explore Taleb’s argument against centralized government.

Why Does Inequality Exist in the World?

Why does inequality exist? Do you think some economic equality is healthy for the world? Economic inequality is a sad reality of life. Interestingly, however, people around the world think that some economic inequality is good—although they want far less than there currently is. In this article, we’ll discuss why most people don’t want total equality. We’ll also discuss some hypothetical opinions as to what level of inequality would be ideal.

Castes in America: Echoes of the Past

Why has there been an increase in the number of suicides and drug-related deaths amongst middle-aged, white Americans? Could the castes in America be part of the reason? When the caste system that mistreats people of color in America was established hundreds of years ago, we couldn’t have predicted the repercussions it would have on the future of white Americans. In her book Caste, Isabel Wilkerson explores how the modern focus on diversity and equality is pushing white Southerners to the edge. Continue reading to learn about the unintended consequences of the castes in America.

The Nazi Hierarchy Was Inspired by Americans

How did the Nazi hierarchy of race and religion come to be? How was the Nazi social order similar to the caste system in America? According to Isabel Wilkerson, the author of Caste, the Nazi hierarchy of race and religion was inspired by the caste system in America. Specifically, she argues, in designing their caste system, the Nazis took inspiration from the American eugenics movement. Keep reading to learn more about the Nazi caste system and how it was developed.

The Virtues of Decentralized Government

What are the downsides of a centralized government? Why is managing decentralized power structures (ironically) easier than centralized systems? In his book Skin in the Game, Nassim Taleb criticizes centralized power structures in which a few people make decisions that affect everyone. He argues that centralized systems are far too complex for individuals to effectively manage from the top down. Instead, Taleb advocates for the decentralization of power—smaller territories are more likely to govern themselves effectively. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of decentralized government: greater accountability and more democratic representation.

Nassim Taleb: Religion as a Means to Survival

Is religion rational? Does religion benefit or hinder human societies? According to Nassim Taleb, religion is rational in the sense that it contributes to our survival. With this in mind, he argues that everyone is religious to some extent because it is human nature to yearn for the survival of our species. In this article, we’ll explore Taleb’s take on religion as a tool for the end goal of humanity—survival.

Your Mind Is the Gateway to Universal Consciousness

What exactly is Universal Consciousness? Is there a way you can connect to the universal, all-encompassing mind? According to Joseph Murphy, Universal Consciousness is the “life force” that created and continues to manage the entire universe. You are already connected to the Universal Consciousness through your subconscious mind. Through this access, your subconscious mind orchestrates interactions and creates experiences that line up with your habitual conscious thoughts, expectations, and beliefs. These results reflect both how you feel about yourself and what you expect to experience in your life. In this article, you’ll learn how your subconscious mind aligns your life