Investment Advice from an Old Bastard

I know a lot on here are interested in investment, inflation and interest rates, I was reading this today and the observations that Charlie Munger makes is something that many ....lets say older people feel with todays generation's and the ultimate advice they are given.

Take from it what you will but it is a good read regardless.

At 98-years-old, Charlie Munger still delivers the one-liners

Charlie Munger has been investing with Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway since 1978. While Warren hosts the company’s Annual Shareholder Meetings, answering questions for hours, it is Charlie who delivers the acerbic wit. Given his wealth and age, nobody and nothing is off limits, sometimes to Warren’s chagrin. It makes for fine entertainment when he is prepared to speak the truth that others avoid.

Charlie was born on 1 January 1924, and to mark his 98th birthday, some of his one-liners are collected on this video. As the introduction says:

“Charlie Munger isn't just one of the greatest investors who has ever lived, he is also one of the few brilliant minds who basically has no filter. When he sees something which he thinks is wrongdoing or stupid, he just can't help but being opinionated and speak up about it.”

Let ‘er rip, Charlie

“Those of you who are about to enter business school or are there, I recommend you learn to do it our way but at least until you're out of school, you have to pretend to do it their way.”

“Warren, if people weren't so often wrong, we wouldn't be so rich.”

“I think you would understand any presentation using the word EBITDA, if every time you saw that word, you just substituted the phrase ‘bullshit earnings’.”

“I'm optimistic about life. I can be optimistic when I’m nearly dead. Surely the rest of you can handle a little inflation.”

“The best way to get what you want in life is to deserve what you want. How could it be otherwise? It's not crazy enough so that the world is looking for a lot of undeserving people to reward.”

“Everybody wants fiscal virtue but not quite yet. They're like that guy who felt that way about sex. He’s willing to give it up but not quite yet.”

“Well, you don't want to be like the motion picture executive in California. They said the funeral was so large because everybody wanted to make sure he was dead.”

“It was investment banker-aided fraud. Not exactly novel.”

“Sure, there are a lot of things in life way more important than wealth. All that said, some people do get confused. I play golf with a man he says, ‘What good is health, you can't buy money with it.’"

“Well, there are a lot of things I don't think about and one of them is companies that are losing $2-3 billion a year and going public.”

“In accounting, you can do things like they do in Italy when they have trouble with the mail. It piles up and irritates the postal employees. They just throw away a few cartloads and everything flows smoothly.”

“The general system for money management requires people to pretend that they can do something that they can't do, and to pretend to like it when they really don't. I think that's a terrible way to spend your life, but it's very well paid.”

“I can't give you a formulaic approach because I don't use one. If you want a formula, you should go back to graduate school. They'll give you lots of formulas that won't work.”

“As Samuel Johnson said famously, ‘I can give you an argument, but I can't give you an understanding.’"

“It's perfectly obvious, at least to me, that to say that derivative accounting in America is a sewer is an insult to sewage.”

“Competency is a relative concept. And what a lot of us need, including the one speaking when I needed to get ahead, was to compete against idiots. And luckily, there's a large supply."

“I don't like multi-tasking. I see these people doing three things at once and I think, what a terrible way that is to think.”

“I like cryptocurrency currencies a lot less than you do. And I think that professional traders who go into trading cryptocurrencies, it's just disgusting. It's like somebody else is trading turds and you decide ‘I can't be left out.'"

“Once I asked a man who just left a large investment bank and I said, ‘How's your firm make its money?’ He said, 'Off the top, off the bottom, off both sides and in the middle.'"

“Well, I would rather throw a viper down my shirt front than hire a compensation consultant.”

“I think I'm offended enough.”

 

You need to be a member of 1Eyed Eel to add comments!

Join 1Eyed Eel

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

                  • You guys seen the old Fryers Club Roasts?

                  • She features in the roast that Krupty put up....legend comedian that everyone wanted to take the piss out of.

            • We know what drum you hold the beat to when you go to bed at night Seth.LOL

              I always remember Ava Gardner being interviewed after the film made in Mellbourne, "On the Beach" in 1959.....I was quiet young then so I must have read in a later book.....but her quote always stuck in my mind when she said if the end of the world was going to happen it would be most appropriately Melbourne, implying it was the arsehole of the world!

          • Thanks Pops I will put them on my watch list.I like historical war  films. This one is interesting Munich The Edge of War. The politics of war  and deception

             

        • Thought you would enjoy it Tad,

          I also stuffed the rest of the post trying to correct the date from 1983 to 1883 an old style western prequell to Kevin Costner's Yellowstone. Stars Sam Elliott.

          Also recommend Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos (Kidman) is brilliant in it.

          Finally another show I really enjoyed was "Finch" a Tom hanks film about a guy dying and building a robot to look after his dog.....I cried unashamably at the end............. I read a review that said it lacked originality LOL

  • Charlie and Warren are legends, No doubt. From 1964 to 2020, Berkshire's stock delivered a compound annual growth rate of 20%. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index generated an annualized gain of 10.2% -- including dividends.

     Things are changing rapidly. If someone bragged they made 20% pa to the average Defi Degen they would be pretty unimpressed. That represents an OK week for the competent.

This reply was deleted.

Latest comments

Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's Sack ! replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"This is the shittest excuse making blog I've seen in.the history of this site
I've said this numerous times lately  - Poppa has ties with Mark o'neill and has a vested interest in doing anything possible to keep Sarantinos and O’Neill at the helm
52…"
1 minute ago
Poppa replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"I thionk you need to qualify the idiots and then their replacements Badge, but we all know where you are coming from. 
Simply Hamstrung implies something, I am just no sure how simple it is."
1 minute ago
Poppa replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"You know what LB. I envisaged your answer.....you just cannot get it out of your head can you. Don't worry the rent is still free!
PS Guess what, its not your role to accept your loss 52=10 at home to the Gold Coast, the great part of being a…"
4 minutes ago
LB replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"Souths only had 50 on them twice last year, one from Dolphins who were close to the 8 and Brisbane the premiers and both away. We had 52 put on us but one of the worst teams in the comp at home. Yeah injuries have weakened us massively but nothing…"
4 minutes ago
Offside replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Will Penisni
"Penisini will be one of those players that changes clubs and becomes a better player elsewhere "
6 minutes ago
Josh d replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Will Penisni
"Unfortunately he is the best outside back option we currently have "
8 minutes ago
Parrafan101 replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Will Penisni
"6.Moses 7. Cleary"
8 minutes ago
Parrafan101 replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Will Penisni
"I want both Clearys."
8 minutes ago
Muttman replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's Sack !'s discussion Sarantinos and Mark O'neill must be shown the door now
"Yep. They won't do anything unfortunately. Bankers and accountants don't do anything quickly. "
8 minutes ago
Poppa replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"Oh Great Sage, you realise by calling me that you put yourself in the position of being a greater one.....one or two players are out ???? Really Greater One,maybe you need to do your homework sport!"
9 minutes ago
LB replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"I agree that you agree."
9 minutes ago
LB replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"Tell me, is what i said wrong? as you did do that and then deleted it. You said those who say sack Ryles are non thinking morons, yet you did that this time last year. Am i wrong?
Not saying Ryles should be sacked, just you are being hypocritcal"
10 minutes ago
Pork Rind replied to Snottie Pimpin's discussion Will Penisni
"Worst centre, very careless with his passes. Not suprised at his performance after being away for a bit. Hasn't improved one bit"
11 minutes ago
macybrown replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Game Day Blog R6 v Titans: Call House
"just watched this...poor fans that paid for this :((
one thing is for sure Brian Jelly is one of the very worst signings we've ever made! Absolute shit player!"
11 minutes ago
LB replied to Poppa's discussion Defending the Undefendable... this game should not have been a surprise....Look what we had!
"Is what i said about Poppa actually wrong Michael? Stating facts as he goes around telling people this and that of what they should and shouldn't be doing, yet he's done it himself.
 "
12 minutes ago
EelsAgeMe replied to EelsAgeMe's discussion Effort Optional
"I hear you. I don't accept it, but I have learnt to expect it. Better for my health. "
13 minutes ago
More…

Keaon done deal

As of Thursday, December 11, 2025, South Sydney Rabbitohs forwardKeaon Koloamatangi has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Parramatta Eels, but it is not yet officially announced by the clubs.  Soon to be announced.

Read more…
14 Replies · Reply by Poppa Jan 9
Views: 2302

 

Will Penisni

Does any one know his contract status ? I know he seemed to think he had re-signed but it was never announced . Let's bloody well hope it never happened. He is the worst starting centre in the comp . I don't care if he's a local junior , what high…

Read more…
19 Replies · Reply by Offside 6 minutes ago
Views: 260

Effort Optional

I don’t expect us to win every week.But I do expect us to compete every week.Somehow, as Eels fans, we’ve been conditioned to lower the bar.To accept losses. To become numb to them.We talk ourselves into it every season.“Injuries.” “They’re…

Read more…
6 Replies · Reply by EelsAgeMe 13 minutes ago
Views: 235

<script src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- Sidebar -->
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<script>// <![CDATA[
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
// ]]></script>