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

Muttman replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"That line-up makes much more sense."
24 minutes ago
Blue Eel replied to Pato's discussion Xerri
"Xerri immediately becomes our best centre, if he was to join us. The only issue i have is with upstairs, is he the team man with the team ethos that Ryles is after. I genuinely don't know what type of person he is in a team environment. Selfish or…"
27 minutes ago
Eli Stephens replied to Pato's discussion Xerri
"Sounds like he has an attitude issue but, so be wary lol "
28 minutes ago
Parra fan on The Hill replied to Pato's discussion Xerri
"I'd love us to get Xerri. He has the whole package of a Class A centre. Blows both Russell and Penisini out of the water."
53 minutes ago
SuperEel 22 replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"Eels also wouldn't give up the Tigers at CommBank, as it means they'd take a loss on the Dolphins game at CommBank. It's an easy swap for the club."
53 minutes ago
SuperEel 22 replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R3: Danger Game as Desperate Dragons Hunt First Win
"If you think JDB is there to be some kind of barnstorming middle, that's not his role. It wasn't his role the last few years at the Dragons either. He's a tackler meant to be there to take the early sting out of the middle. He's averaged 95% tackle…"
58 minutes ago
Tin Tim replied to Pato's discussion Xerri
"We need a quality centre not numbers. "
1 hour ago
Tin Tim replied to SuperEel 22's discussion State of the Site 2026
"I understand with the cost & adds but they really have taken over. Your ready something & ready to press on a subject & an add pops up & you end up at looking at something you have no interest in. "
1 hour ago
Tin Tim replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"No way will they take people to Dubai, not now not tomorrow. "
1 hour ago
Prof. Daz replied to Pato's discussion Xerri
"Currently, if Russell or JAC are injured, Kelly comes in to left centre and Russell to left wing. One further injury and what is the Eels' plan?
Would not Xerri be starting left centre post-Russell? The Eels do need to recruit in the outside backs .…"
1 hour ago
LB replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"It's a gimmick and a few in the media are now starting to come around to it being the case and even V'Landys it seems feels the same of wanting to go elsewhere. But they have 2 more years on a deal and then next is London or Dubai as early as 2029."
3 hours ago
Longfin Eel replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"So we lose a home game for this? Is it supposed to be a privilege to play on the other side of the world, with the associated lengthy recovery?"
3 hours ago
Joeyboyz replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"I prefer the Absinthe over here in the Czech republic.
 "
9 hours ago
Graham polkinghorne replied to Hell On Eels's discussion R3: Danger Game as Desperate Dragons Hunt First Win
"It will be a close game, with Parramatta winning. Moses goal kicking needs to improve bigtime."
10 hours ago
Mallee57 replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"Vegas is a waste of time "
10 hours ago
LB replied to Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐's discussion VEGAS - HERE WE COME !!!! & its not the Storm !
"Vegas is great. If you love absolutely crude humour and people making fun of all people of races, sexuality, looks everything, go and see Absinthe at Caesar's Palace. Quite possibly one the best comedy shows i have ever seen."
10 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: 2204

 

1eE Modern day Eels team

Here is the 1EE modern day 17.1. Hayne2. Burt3. Lyon4. Tahu5. Radradra6. Brown7. Moses8. Cayless (c)9. Marsh10. Moimoi11. Hindmarsh12. Ma'u13. Dymock14. Walker15. Pay16. Paulo17. ScottCoach: Brian Smith. Now tell me what you would like to see? I was…

Read more…
8 Replies · Reply by The Badger 14 hours ago
Views: 192

Samrani vs Penisini

Hard to compare but I think the right edge looked better with Samrani on the weekend.There is no doubt Will has alot of talent but he looks like one of those players who would excel somewhere else since his debut he hasn't really been challenged for…

Read more…
27 Replies · Reply by Poppa 18 hours ago
Views: 1125

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