December 12, 2021
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FS
The Psychology of Human Misjudgment is considered the magnum opus on why we behave the way we do. This is the fully revised talk, published with the permission of Charlie Munger and Peter Kaufman. Munger addresses the importance of recognizing patterns to determine how humans behave both rationally and irrationally.
Explore Your Curiosity
“I’m aware of dangers most rational humans are not, like the way taxis stop two feet over the crosswalk, increasing the risk of getting hit even at a green light, or how a spooked carriage horse in Central Park might rear up and accidentally strike my skull. I don’t like to walk after a heavy rainstorm because I worry a damaged tree might fall and kill me. It might seem ridiculous, but I once pulled a friend out of the path of falling ice. So you never know. In 2020, when constant risk assessment became necessary, the logic behind my dad’s stories bloomed.”
— The Many Deaths of William Holden
“Confronted with words, ideas, or decisions they dislike, a growing number of people are asserting that they are in danger of suffering psychological or even bodily harm. But when one party asserts that a debate threatens their very well-being, it is hard to deliberate on policy—or topics such as race and gender. The result is a narrowing of the space for public discussion and an inability to teach ever more ideas and books.”
Insight
“You only need to know the direction, not the destination. The direction is enough to make the next choice.”
— James Clear
Tiny Thought
A critical quality for success is the ability to change your mind. A lot of ideas are bad until they’re good. And a lot of ideas are good until they’re bad.
Et Cetera
- Why retaining walls collapse.
- Competitive compromising.
- The world’s greatest female freediver.
- The difference between an amateur and a professional. (Complement with this).
P.S. Physics is fascinating.