Herbalism and the Lindy effect

 

The Lindy effect

The Lindy Effect was named after Lindy’s Deli, a New York restaurant where comedians observed that the future life expectancy of a play or show was proportional to how long it had already been running. This idea was later picked up and popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his books—most notably Antifragile—as a general rule about how long non-perishable things like ideas, books, or technologies are likely to last.

The Lindy Effect It’s not a strict law, but rather a general heuristic that can’t be definitively proven—yet it shows up reliably across many areas, from ideas and technologies to investing, cultural traditions, and even health practices.

An interesting example in the area of investing is gold. While at various points in history people expected it to lose its value or relevance, it has consistently outlasted newer investment options. The Lindy Effect is therefore often used to support the idea that gold should remain a core pillar of long-term investment strategies.

 

Herbalism as golden standard

When it comes to general well-being, covering all parts of health, we see many similarities with the case of gold. In this area, we’re constantly being introduced to new “revolutionary insights”—sometimes every week. These might be new diets, superfoods, or medical treatments suddenly trending on social media. As a result, it can be hard to tell what’s truly helpful and what’s mostly marketing.

This is where the Lindy Effect becomes especially useful. Herbalism, the oldest form of healthcare known to humanity, might be the most Lindy practice of all. It uses the power of plants and natural extracts to treat illnesses and support overall well-being. With thousands of years of knowledge across different cultures, herbalism reflects not only a strong connection to nature, but also the traditions and wisdom that have shaped it.

While it may have lost visibility and attention in recent decades, new insights and growing interest are bringing people back to herbalism as a golden standard for supporting long-term well-being.