Antifragile · Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The Lindy effect examples

Curated by · reviewed 2026-06-01

For ideas, books, and technologies, the longer something has already survived, the longer it's likely to keep surviving. Age is evidence of staying power.

What is the lindy effect? Read the full idea →

5 examples of the lindy effect

  1. The classic vs the bestseller

    A book in print for 50 years will probably outlast this year's hit; it's already proven it endures.

  2. Old tech that won't die

    Email, the wheel, and plain text keep outliving the trendy tools meant to replace them.

  3. Timeless advice

    Stoic and proverbial wisdom survives because it's been stress-tested across centuries.

  4. A 100-year-old restaurant

    Still busy after a century is strong evidence it'll be open next decade too.

  5. Choosing what to read

    Prefer the book that's lasted generations over the one everyone's hyping this month.

How to spot it in yourself

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