And yet it's primarily ideas from literature (from the "niche and isolated genre of science fiction") which Taleb rails against. But since he apparently doesn't like sci fi, I guess it doesn't count. I don't think Shakespeare helped put a rover on Mars though.

It's unfortunate that Taleb had to resort to name-calling and condescension. I like literature too, but that doesn't mean anyone who doesn't is an autistic neomaniac.