The opposite of being fragile

Taleb describes something that “once you see, you can’t unsee.”

The Lebanese-American scholar and statistician known for his risk analysis and probability theory work devoted a 519-page book to this idea. His story is tricky to read and isn’t a page-turner. Despite that, it is worth a read.

A negative response to a stressor characterizes the Fragile. A wine glass, for instance, quickly loses its function if handled roughly or exposed to extreme temperatures.

The Robust are tough. Stressors, like hits, temperature changes, or lots of use, do not influence their characteristics- no negative or positive influence.

On the other hand, the antifragile thrives under the influence of stressors. Being stressed influences it positively, just like evolution has positively influenced our DNA.

Now that you can not unsee this, you will recognize it in many places: over-parenting, your health, learning a new skill, and building a new habit. The list is endless.