GIFTS AND INVERSE GIFTS.Beyond all aspects linked to reciprocity, gifts increase the variations in one’s life; they bring a bit of bilateral optionality. You increase variations by borrowing someone else’s imagination, and get to use or read things you would have never done spontaneously. The same with enemies, and their often enriching inverse gifts.Give plenty of gifts, hope you receive a few!

PS – Just realized the point as I received as a gift “The History of Western Philosophy” by Jean-Francois Revel incidentally the father of the buddhist monk Mattieu Picard. Revel was quite critical, a la Fat Tony, of these packaged ideas. On my own I would have never bought the book, particularly a book with such a bland title.

Technical PS – Social scientists spin many many theories about gift-giving, not seeing the point. Thaler’s analysis of gifts and application of mental accounting is seriously flawed.

via GIFTS AND INVERSE GIFTS. Beyond all… – Nassim Nicholas Taleb | Facebook.