Making Radiology Antifragile

Abstract

Physicist Richard Gott correctly predicted that the pyramids of Egypt would last longer than the Berlin wall. His insight, called the Lindy effect, was that the longevity of nonperishables, such as stories, ideas, and innovations, depended on how long they have been around. Simply put, the longer something has been around, the longer it will be around. This tautology belies the fact that time filters bad ideas. Though not everything new will be discarded, as all ideas that stood the test of time were once novel, the novel is more perishable than the antediluvian [ 1 Taleb N.N. Antifragile. Random House, New York2012 Google Scholar ]. The Antifragile RadiologistJournal of the American College of RadiologyPreviewRadiologists work in an unpredictable world. Reflecting on the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provides a pressing example. To be resilient, we must adapt to an ever-changing health care environment. Resiliency allows one to survive challenges without failure or decline. What if it were possible to benefit from uncertainty and become stronger because of it? This is the question Nassim Taleb addresses in his book, Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder [1]. He defines antifragility as growth through hardship; it allows people to thrive in an uncertain world. Full-Text PDF