From the bestselling author of The Black Swan, a daring book that challenges many of our longstanding beliefs about risk and reward, politics and religion, economics and personal responsibility.

Why should we never listen to people who explain instead of acting? Why do companies go bankrupt? How is it possible that we have more slaves today than during the Roman Empire? Why does imposing democracy on other countries never work? The answer: too many people running the world have nothing to lose.

In his characteristic way, Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows that "skin in the game" applies to all aspects of our lives. It means having something to lose and taking risks. Citizens, experimenters, craftsmen, political activists, and brokers have "skin in the game." In contrast, policy analysts, corporate managers, theorists, bankers, and most journalists do not.

As Taleb states: "The symmetry of 'skin in the game' is a simple rule that is necessary for justice and fairness and the ultimate disrupter of nonsense" and "Never trust anyone who doesn't have 'skin in the game.' Without it, fools and crooks will benefit, and their mistakes will never cost them."

Pages: 304, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm