Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Esquire|April 2018

The author of THE BLACK SWAN and SKIN IN THE GAME on owning your own risk, his allergy to borrowing, and TRUE FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Adrienne Westenfeld
Nassim Nicholas Taleb

People ask me my forecast for the economy when they should be asking me what I have in my portfolio. Don’t make pronouncements on what could happen in the future if you’re immune from the consequences. In French, they use the same word for wallet and portfolio.

I have never, ever borrowed a penny. So I have zero credit record. No loans, no mortgage, nothing. Ever. When I had no money, I rented. I have an allergy to borrowing and a scorn for people who are in debt, and I don’t hide it. I follow the Romans’ attitude that debtors are not free people.

I carry euros, dollars, and British pounds. What I do with my money is personal. People who say they give it to charity, that’s a no-no in my book. Nobody should ever talk about a charitable act in public.

This story is from the April 2018 edition of Esquire.

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This story is from the April 2018 edition of Esquire.

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