Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America

"Picture a magical, sugar-fueled road trip with Willy Wonka behind the wheel and David Sedaris riding shotgun, complete with chocolate-stained roadmaps and the colorful confetti of spent candy wrappers flying in your cocoa powder dust."

I like ice cream more than I care to admit. My husband and I once traveled 3 hours for an all-you-can-eat ice cream fair. Is it just me, or should Ben and Jerry change the label on the back of their cartons from 4 to 1? For anybody else who loves something more than you should, find solace in Steve Almond.

Almond is an unabashed, aptly named candy freak. This guy loves candy more than I love ice cream. We accompany him on a trek across the country to discover what happened to some of his beloved candies of yesteryear (do Goo Goo Clusters or Idaho Spuds ring a bell?) Even though you may not all crave candy, you will admire and even relate to Almond's passion.

Compared to recent Book Worm Club selections, this is a lightweight. Perfect in time for some fun summer reading, right? I garauntee at least a few laughs and a craving for a piece of chocolate.

Black Swan Questions:

I hope you were able to enjoy and get something out of The Black Swan. It was a book I discovered inadvertently and never would have read, but I think it has been healthy for me to read an insightful book far outside the reach of my own interests and field of study. Personally, one of the things I liked about this book was its applicability. I am not very interested in economics, in general, but many of Taleb’s ideas about history, social studies, physics, etc. were interesting and applied to my particular world view and even field of study. So here is to reading outside of the box!

Like I mentioned before, there are too many ideas expressed in this book to cover all of them, so my questions will only be a cursory and random sampling. Feel free to ask your own questions for discussion, or your own ideas which relate to the book.

I tried attaching a couple of articles that I thought related quite nicely, but it didn't work. Instead of that, why don't you make a comment below if you want to read one (or more) of them, and I will email the ones you want to you!
Hugh Nibley, “Zeal Without Knowledge.”
Hugh Nibley, “Work We Must, but the Lunch Is Free.”
Hugh Nibley, “Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift.”
Hugh Nibley, “Educating the Saints.”
Hugh Nibley, “Mediocre Meditations on the Media.”
Hugh Nibley, "The Day of the Amateur"

Question 1

In chapter 1 (p. 12-14) Taleb talks about how the diary was the most influential book for him philosophically--“a training program in the dynamics of uncertainty”. He realized that there was a difference between the before and after in recounting history, and he warned of the ‘narrative fallacy’ (p. 62ff.) Why is it that a diary is far more accurate in depicting history (or is it)? Is history lost in the recounting of it? Or by summarizing it?

Question 2

History runs forward (p. 268). Taleb explains: “What I am talking about is opacity, incompleteness of information, the invisibility of the generator of the world. History does not reveal its mind to us---we need to guess what’s inside of it.” How is Taleb’s view of history different from most historians (or is it)? How do you envision/depict history - is it a way of ‘explaining things’ or is it more Socratic (i.e. bringing up questions that may not have a good answer)?

Question 3

In the prologue (xxii-xxiv) Taleb gives the story about the legislator who imposed locks on cockpit doors. He asks: “Who is more valuable, the politician who avoids a war or the one who starts a new one (and is lucky enough to win)?” How does this explain/represent American values, policies, rewards, etc. (or does it)? Can/should we change this?

Question 4

Does Taleb’s approach to history change/confirm your personal views of, say, American/world history, Church history (LDS or other), Environmental history, Nutritional history, Political history (at home and abroad), or whatever history you deal with on a daily basis?

Question 5

In chapter 4 (p. 40ff.) Taleb talks about the story of the turkey, which was certain that it was safe (until Thanksgiving day). Taleb uses this story to criticize science (i.e. the scientific method), or ‘naïve empiricism’ but does he provide a realistic alternative? Will ‘negative empiricism’ (p. 56) be able to supplant it? Does this change your personal view of the present/future, based on past experience?

Question 6

Does Taleb's claim that the professionals don't know what is happening distress you? - Do you believe it? Does it change the way you think of how things in society run? We put a lot of trust in these 'specialists' and 'professionals' - what is the danger in relying on them? What is the alternative to relying on them?

Question 7

On pages 119-121 (among other places) Taleb talks specifically about the easy answer--the cosmetic because, and gives an important critique on the educational system. What are the pros and cons to the ‘because’ approach? Should we instead teach how to deal with the ‘I don’t know’? Has this made you reflect on your education, or how you will teach?

Question 8

On p. 79-80 & 87-90 Taleb talks about “The Pull of the Sensational,” which I think ties into his statements about the media (how it actually limits what you know). He gives 3 examples: the Italian toddler, Central park, and motorcycle riding--all of which illustrate how ‘the sensational’ may be used to distract us. If you’ll permit me, I would like to make a reference to Orwell’s 1984 here. In his negative utopia, Orwell describes the elaborate methods of the party to control the minds of the people with telescreens and editing the past to make Big Brother’s predictions correct. Now, years past the real 1984, we see that all of this was completely unnecessary. All the people need is to be distracted. Pull their attention elsewhere. So my question is: Do you think there is a way to overcome this natural instinct (of following narrative/being decoyed)? If so, how have you been able to do this in your lives (with regard to politics, education, health, environment, religion, etc.)?

Question 9

Did reading this book help you identify any Black Swans in your own proximity? Were there any ideas that have stuck with you? Any that you will use in your own work/study/religion/FHE?