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

EA replied to EA's discussion Araz Nanva signs Top 30 Contract for 2027
"Timoko is not a solution for next year watching the game. Xerri and Tago are better options if we can somehow get one of them "
50 minutes ago
LB replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"I watched some footage of Koina, he looks the goods. Could be one in 27' we start to keep an eye on in terms of FG. Hopefully he gets some Cup game time late this year."
1 hour ago
LB replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"Though, if both were fit and able to play regardless of rules, Nanva i reckon gets the nod. It's a shame as Richie just cannot get any game time back to back in order to get a debut."
1 hour ago
LB replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"Richie is taller and more athletic than Will. If anything is more suited to the Wing. Will is like To'o build, while Richie is more a Critta type build."
1 hour ago
LB replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"Nah, he is rated very highly. Ryles prefers to bring him in when the team is more settled. Once we hit Round 13 and the likes of Iongi, Pezet, Samrani etc come back and our depth is stronger you will see Brown getting games."
1 hour ago
LB replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion Simmonson Update
"Was it one of those fan pages that always post AI news stories or an independent page?"
1 hour ago
EA replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"Yea I didn't realise he left till SB said it. "
1 hour ago
RustyNuts replied to ParramattaLurker's discussion Round 8 Team List v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Anzac Round)
"Thanks again. So it looks like it's up to R&R to plug some holes in the backline to allow this lot a chance to develop. I'll jot these names down and hopefully see some great footy players in a few years "
1 hour ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to EA's discussion Araz Nanva signs Top 30 Contract for 2027
"hes contracted for 28 "
1 hour ago
mongolian trotting duck replied to EA's discussion Araz Nanva signs Top 30 Contract for 2027
"he can play after round 10 without dispensation"
1 hour ago
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin🐐 - Mark O'neill's 🪓 replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion Simmonson Update
"anyone else see a milky Jenkins rumoured signing  fb"
2 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion Simmonson Update
"More complicated to...ankles seem harder to bring back to 100%"
2 hours ago
Parra_Greg replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion Simmonson Update
"Its going to be tough ...we dont realise how much the ankle does its more inportant then a knee in my estimation....."
2 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst's discussion Simmonson Update
"Ruff"
2 hours ago
Muttman replied to EA's discussion Araz Nanva signs Top 30 Contract for 2027
"Good for him. He deserves his shot
 "
2 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Muttman's discussion Apa Twidle signs with the Bears
"Yeah it's scapegoating Daz, but occaisionally a blood sacrifice is necessary. What do we have to lose if 1 or 2 at Head office get it in the neck....they do seem to kind of suck."
2 hours 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: 2360

 

Araz Nanva signs Top 30 Contract for 2027

The Parramatta Eels are pleased to announce that emerging outside back Araz Nanva has extended his contract with the club for a further year and will be elevated to the Top 30 squad for the 2027 NRL season.An Eels junior, Nanva’s extension comes on…

Read more…
40 Replies · Reply by EA 50 minutes ago
Views: 970

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