Business Quote by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
““In order to progress, modern society should be treating ruined entrepreneurs in the same way we honor dead soldiers, perhaps not with as much honor, but using exactly the same logic (the entrepreneur is still alive, though perhaps morally broken and socially stigmatized, particularly if he lives in Japan). For there is no such thing as a failed soldier, dead or alive (unless he acted in a cowardly manner)—likewise, there is no such thing as a failed entrepreneur or failed scientific researcher, any more than there is a successful babbler, philosophaster, commentator, consultant, lobbyist, or business school professor who does not take personal risks. (Sorry.)””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Entrepreneur’s Honor, 2018
Society should honor living entrepreneurs like dead soldiers, recognizing their risk‑taking despite moral or social flaws.
In simple terms: Respect risk‑taking entrepreneurs.
Key Takeaway
Value entrepreneurial risk.
Themes
risk
honor
entrepreneurship
societal values
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
sociological
When to use this quote
- startup funding
- policy advocacy
- public recognition
Key Concepts
economics
ethics
social perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How should we balance risk and ethics?
- What criteria define a worthy entrepreneur?
A Different Perspective
Honoring entrepreneurs may overlook ethical failures.
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