Linking the three together reveals Taleb’s deeper theme: addiction is anything that systematically reduces optionality—your ability to adapt, say no, and choose differently under pressure. Heroin narrows options through biology, refined foods can narrow options through conditioned reward, and salary dependence can narrow options through financial commitments and institutional reliance.
This frame fits Taleb’s broader concern with fragility: when you need a specific input at a specific interval—dose, sugar hit, paycheck—your life becomes more brittle. The severity differs, but the structural vulnerability is the common thread. [...]
