3.0 out of 5 stars

Selling out or winning the game?

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2024

In Nate Silver's new book, he interviews his cohort of successful gamblers and gambler-adjacent folks. The book argues that since these successful people are risk-takers, taking risks makes you more successful. I guess Nate thought most of us wouldn't notice his glaring selection bias? If you intentionally seek out successful and risk-tolerant people, then of course the people in your sample will be successful and risk-tolerant. Presumably if Nate looked for interviews in a church basement meeting of gamblers anonymous he would have reached the opposite conclusion. For some reason he refers to the cohort of people he interacts with as "The River". This seems to be shorthand for white guys with money, education, safety nets, and no caregiving responsibilities. Perhaps it did not occur to Nate that financial risks are simply more risky for those of us with something to lose. For one guy, the penalty of losing all his money cpuld be staying with his mom for a few months to get back on his feet. For another person, it would means risks like becoming homeless, being unable to care for your children, or losing your transportation (and then subsequently your job, follower by your home). The risks and the stakes are just larger for the second group.

Anyways, I hope Nate makes a lot of money off it and lives happily ever after.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5575674&forum_id=2#47963966)

4.0 out of 5 stars

I'm overweight and miserable

Reviewed in Houston, Texas on August 12, 2024

I honestly didn't read the book. I weigh 370 lbs. and can barely move. My career is a stressful nightmare and my finances are in ruins. I was shopping at Costco's earlier and couldn't believe the prices. Adding insult to injury, they raised the membership fee. I went to Outback and had a steak with a large slice of cheese and felt sick all night; I had to wear a diaper the next day. Some people think there's something erotic about that, but I just found it humiliating. I'm climbing Teewinot in a few weeks.

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5575674&forum_id=2#47963986)

Nice touch but I think df knows better

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5575674&forum_id=2#47978296)