Nobody reads the disclosures that roll down your computer screen. You click 'I agree' but you don't know what you're agreeing to.
The opposite of manliness isn't cowardice; it's technology.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the loss of traditional masculine virtues is more influenced by reliance on technology than by fear or cowardice.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb's quote argues that the true antithesis of manliness is not the absence of courage but rather the dependence on technology. This viewpoint reflects a belief that technology can weaken individual resilience and self-reliance, overshadowing the traits traditionally associated with masculinity, such as bravery, strength, and resourcefulness. By equating technology with a loss of manliness, Taleb raises the question of how modern advancements can compromise fundamental human qualities.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about modern challenges facing men, this quote can be used to emphasize the importance of self-reliance.
More from Nassim Nicholas Taleb
All quotes βFragility is the quality of things that are vulnerable to volatility.
Those who were unlucky in life in spite of their skills would eventually rise. The lucky fool might have benefited from some luck in life; over the longer run he would slowly converge to the state of a less-lucky idiot. Each one would revert to his long-term properties.
Individuals should think about the worst-case scenarios and plan for them. The world will be crazier than you think it will be. Put money away, and then you can live with much more freedom.
A good maxim allows you to have the last word without even starting a conversation.
A Stoic is someone who transforms fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking.
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