1998: Who does Buffett give speeches to?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: My family is a Class B shareholder. Thank you for issuing those shares.

I have one observation and one question. Your Class B share is creating a new phenomenon in this country. These “baby shares” are not only attracting my baby boomer generation, but also X generation and (inaudible) generation, your grandchildren.

My question is, this next generation would like to hear from you your investment discipline, your lifestyle, and your philosophy of contributing the wealth back to the society in a language they can understand and communicate back to their friends when they get back to school on Tuesday. Thank you.

WARREN BUFFETT: Thank you. (Applause)

Well, I appreciate that, and I would say the only speeches I give — I get a lot of requests, perhaps because I don’t do them. But I get a lot of requests, including from a lot of our managers, in terms of trade conventions, all kinds of things.

I don’t do — the only groups I talk to are students. And I try to talk to college and university students, although I talk to high school students, too. Whenever it fits, in terms of travel schedules.

And I just think that if you’re going to spend your time with groups talking, that rather than entertain people, that it probably is better to talk to the group you talked about.

Charlie and I are never reluctant to talk, so we do it. Charlie has given a couple of talks. One I sent you a few years ago from USC, but there’s been another one recently that I think everybody would profit by reading.

So, it was reprinted in the Outstanding Investor Digest, but if you write Charlie, I’m sure he’ll send you a copy.