Warren Buffett on BBC2?
Discussion
Did anyone else watch last night's programme where the Sage of Omaha was interviewed by BBC's Evan Davis?
I'd read a fair bit about WB before, but it was still fascinating to see the modest house he's lived in for decades and the incredibly low overhead of his holding firm, Berkshire Hathaway.
It did strike me though throughout, with his approach to personal posessions - which bordered on a phobia of the new - and his meticulous knowledge of the companies he invests in - without so much as a calculator on his desk, let alone a PC - that the man borders on the autistic. As much as it's heartwarming to see such a truly down-to-earth billionaire, it was also very odd.
If you missed the show, you can watch it here: BBC iplayer
I'd read a fair bit about WB before, but it was still fascinating to see the modest house he's lived in for decades and the incredibly low overhead of his holding firm, Berkshire Hathaway.
It did strike me though throughout, with his approach to personal posessions - which bordered on a phobia of the new - and his meticulous knowledge of the companies he invests in - without so much as a calculator on his desk, let alone a PC - that the man borders on the autistic. As much as it's heartwarming to see such a truly down-to-earth billionaire, it was also very odd.
If you missed the show, you can watch it here: BBC iplayer
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Personal relationships aside - which to be fair, appeared to be by mutual consent between him and his late wife - it is his own lack of 'need' for money that is interesting to the point of almost being alarming.We're all sick to the back teeth of feckless 'entrepreneurs' who have a few goods months and then go out on a spending spree, of people whose obession with possesions define themselves in their own minds, but Buffett almost seemed to be in denial of the utility of money.
And as Bedford Rascal points out, to never broaden one's horizons beyond basic and junk food is a little baffling.
g4ry13 said:
Only reason to make the money for him is the charity.
But he comes across as excessively tight for someone with that amount of wealth. Definitely a bit messed up to keep doing what he does. Soros is far better.
I can never think of Soros without also picturing Michael Douglas in Wall Street.But he comes across as excessively tight for someone with that amount of wealth. Definitely a bit messed up to keep doing what he does. Soros is far better.
You decide:
Goerge Soros

Michael Douglas

Or is that the wrong way round? Either way, greed is goooooooood!
Edited by Digga on Wednesday 28th October 07:56
g4ry13 said:
Only reason to make the money for him is the charity.
But he comes across as excessively tight for someone with that amount of wealth. Definitely a bit messed up to keep doing what he does. Soros is far better.
He does it because he loves what he does. He seems to treat all the companies he buys into as assets and not just strip them and drive them into the ground.But he comes across as excessively tight for someone with that amount of wealth. Definitely a bit messed up to keep doing what he does. Soros is far better.
I have worked closely with a guy who is a billionaire with a similar outlook on life. He loves what he does and I suspect is one of the best people on the planet at what he does - inventing stuff. He is the most unassuming person I have ever met, has no PA, does not require an office at HQ, wears sandals with socks and looks like nothing more than any other engineer where he works. However, even though he could retire tomorrow he keeps designing and inventing new stuff, setting up companies to build it and so on. He was also one of the first investors in several of todays top Internet related businesses, but remains a silent partner. So Warren may appear strange to us mere mortals, but he is not alone.
Really enjoyed that program and found it very interesting.
We have a customer who does the same type of thing as this guy buying up companies, without even looking at a companies figures etc. Although on a smaller scale he's still dealing on in the hundreds of millions and billions, the figures are just mind boggling.
Funnily enough looking and talking to him you would never guess his worth and the last time I saw him he was driving a beaten up Honda Jazz or summat.
He's now in his late 70's and now longer needs to work at all, so having asked what drives him, his answer is "The people".
We have a customer who does the same type of thing as this guy buying up companies, without even looking at a companies figures etc. Although on a smaller scale he's still dealing on in the hundreds of millions and billions, the figures are just mind boggling.
Funnily enough looking and talking to him you would never guess his worth and the last time I saw him he was driving a beaten up Honda Jazz or summat.
He's now in his late 70's and now longer needs to work at all, so having asked what drives him, his answer is "The people".
Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Wednesday 28th October 08:28
I think the main thing that came over was that he had a long term outlook. If only more businessmen and politicians had this train of thought we'd not be in the position we are in now with recessions etc.
Most major companies he buys, he stays with as far as I see it.
Short termism VS long termism, which is best? Well if you want to become the richest man in the world, clearly the latter.
He was a major investor of a company I used to work for years ago.
He (and Bill Gates) are philanthropists too and have donated a large amount of their personal fortune into charity (and making sure the money is spent well which is crucial, so many charities are inefficient and waste loads) and is a pity more of the worlds million and billionaires don't follow their lead.
Most major companies he buys, he stays with as far as I see it.
Short termism VS long termism, which is best? Well if you want to become the richest man in the world, clearly the latter.
He was a major investor of a company I used to work for years ago.
He (and Bill Gates) are philanthropists too and have donated a large amount of their personal fortune into charity (and making sure the money is spent well which is crucial, so many charities are inefficient and waste loads) and is a pity more of the worlds million and billionaires don't follow their lead.
shirt said:
[
i have read in a couple of articles [most recently by the woman who wrote his biography last yr] than Buffet may well be a have high functioning asperger's
'High functioning' has to be an understatement surely? Twenty odd billion dollars! Richest man in the world apart from Bill Gates! Who is also 'high functioning asperger's' incidentally.i have read in a couple of articles [most recently by the woman who wrote his biography last yr] than Buffet may well be a have high functioning asperger's
What would he have to do to count as 'very high functioning'? Or 'genuinely impressive'?
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff