Contrarianism involves adopting a position that goes against prevailing beliefs or opinions. Contrarians often challenge the status quo and conventional wisdom.
Contrarianism Public
Created and curated by Christian de Miguel
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The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable (Incerto) by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
4 stars
From the critically acclaimed author of Fooled by Randomness, a book about the impact of improbable events on every aspect …
Christian de Miguel says: Taleb explores the concept of black swan events—unexpected and highly impactful occurrences—and encourages readers to embrace uncertainty and be prepared for the unexpected.
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Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
4 stars
"The acclaimed author of the influential bestseller The Black Swan, Nicholas Nassim Taleb takes a next big step with a …
Christian de Miguel says: Taleb extends his ideas on risk and uncertainty, discussing systems that benefit from chaos and stress, advocating for antifragility.
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Thinking, fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman
4 stars
Kahneman introduces two modes of thought - system 1, fast and intuitive, and system 2, slow and reasoned - and …
Christian de Miguel says: While not explicitly about contrarianism, Kahneman's exploration of cognitive biases and decision-making offers insights into thinking independently and critically.
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Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip E. Tetlock, Dan Gardner
4 stars
Everyone would benefit from seeing further into the future, whether buying stocks, crafting policy, launching a new product, or simply …
Christian de Miguel says: Tetlock and Gardner examine the skills of superforecasters—individuals with a knack for making accurate predictions—and how they approach information and challenges.
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Freakonomics - A Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything, Revised and Expanded Edition by Steven D. Levitt
4 stars
A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What …
Christian de Miguel says: Levitt and Dubner challenge conventional economic thinking by examining unexpected connections and incentives that drive human behavior.
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The Myth of the Rational Market by Justin Fox
4 stars
How a simple observation - different people assign different values to the same thing - turned into a mass delusion …
Christian de Miguel says: Fox explores the history of financial markets and critiques the notion of rational decision-making in economic contexts.
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The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. von Hayek
3 stars
A classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated …
Christian de Miguel says: Hayek's classic work criticizes central planning and advocates for individual freedom, presenting a contrarian view in the context of economic and political systems.
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The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt
4 stars
"Something is going wrong on many college campuses in the last few years. Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide are …
Christian de Miguel says: Lukianoff and Haidt discuss the challenges of overprotection and ideological conformity on college campuses, presenting a contrarian perspective on current trends.
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The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn (International Encyclopedia of Unified Science, #2)
4 stars
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962; second edition 1970; third edition 1996; fourth edition 2012) is a book about the …
Christian de Miguel says: Kuhn challenges the traditional view of scientific progress, introducing the concept of paradigm shifts and the role of anomalies in scientific discovery.
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5 stars
Bad Science is a book by Ben Goldacre, criticising mainstream media reporting on health and science issues. It was published …
Christian de Miguel says: Goldacre critically examines flawed scientific practices and misinformation, encouraging readers to approach scientific claims with a skeptical mindset.
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The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World by Bjørn Lomborg
1 star
The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World (Danish: Verdens sande tilstand, lit. 'The True State of the …
Christian de Miguel says: Lomborg challenges some prevailing environmental narratives, arguing for a more balanced and evidence-based approach to global challenges.
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Apocalypse Never by Michael Shellenberger
3 stars
Climate change is real, but it’s not the end of the world. It is not even our most serious environmental …
Christian de Miguel says: Shellenberger presents a contrarian view on environmental alarmism, discussing the potential downsides of extreme positions in the environmental movement.
