Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters

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We live in an accidental world where randomness and chance rule all.

Yet, most of us are under the allusion that we are in control.

Every decision we make, interaction we have or tiny event in our lives has an infinite number of alternative outcomes that would have shaped our existence differently. We like to think that everything happens for a reason, but chance determines our reality every day.

In Fluke, Brian Klaas challenges our deeply ingrained beliefs about the world and our place in it. Our sense of individual agency and control over our lives is an illusion. From the evolution of human biology and natural disasters to the impact of global events on supply chain disruptions, we are constantly at the mercy of unpredictable and seemingly accidental occurrences, and in an increasingly inter-connected world, randomness plays a bigger role than it ever has done before.

But by recognizing the true scale of chance and deploying evolutionary-style approaches to problem-solving, we can make smarter choices and by acknowledging the power of randomness and uncertainty, we can make better decisions and live happier lives.

Fluke encourages us to recognize the limits of our understanding and embrace the liberating power of randomness.

Every decision we make, interaction we have or tiny event in our lives has an infinite number of alternative outcomes that would have shaped our existence differently. We like to think that everything happens for a reason, but chance determines our reality every day.

In Fluke, Brian Klaas challenges our deeply ingrained beliefs about the world and our place in it. Our sense of individual agency and control over our lives is an illusion. From the evolution of human biology and natural disasters to the impact of global events on supply chain disruptions, we are constantly at the mercy of unpredictable and seemingly accidental occurrences, and in an increasingly inter-connected world, randomness plays a bigger role than it ever has done before.

But by recognizing the true scale of chance and deploying evolutionary-style approaches to problem-solving, we can make smarter choices and by acknowledging the power of randomness and uncertainty, we can make better decisions and live happier lives.

Fluke encourages us to recognize the limits of our understanding and embrace the liberating power of randomness.

Author Bio

Brian Klaas grew up in Minnesota, earned his DPhil at Oxford, and is now a professor of global politics at University College London. He is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast, and frequent guest on national television. Klaas has conducted field research across the globe and advised major politicians and organizations including NATO and the European Union.