2020: Who are the smartest people Buffett knows?

WARREN BUFFETT: And Becky, at the end, I would just —

BECKY QUICK: Hey Warren —

WARREN BUFFETT: I would just say that, you know — oh sure, go ahead.

BECKY QUICK: Can I? Can I just —

WARREN BUFFETT: Sure.

BECKY QUICK: — look at one more quick question. I forgot this one. Someone sent it in earlier. Thanks.

Anderson Haxton wrote in. He said, “Warren mentioned that Ben Graham is one of the three smartest he’s ever met.” (Buffett laughs)

“I’d like to ask him the names of the other two.”

WARREN BUFFETT: Well, I may not be one of the smartest, but I’m smart enough not to name the other two. I’d make two people happy. But — (Laughter)

But I would — it isn’t a — Ben Graham is one of the three smartest people, and I’ve known some really smart people. Smartness is not necessarily — does not necessarily equate to wisdom, either.

And Ben Graham, one of the things he said he liked to do, every day, was he wanted to do something creative, something generous, and something foolish.

And he said he was pretty good at the latter. (Laughs)

But he was pretty good — he was amazing, actually, creating. But it’s interesting that IQ does not always translate into rationality and behavioral success or wisdom, and so—

I know some people that are extraordinarily wise that would not be in the top three on an IQ test. But if I wanted their judgment on some matter, even if I want to put them in a position of responsibility someplace, I might prefer them to — we’ll say one of the three. That’ll leave the other two feeling fine — (laughs) — of the three. (Laughs)

Greg, you have any thoughts on that? (Laughter)

GREG ABEL: Nope. I agree with the person you named.

WARREN BUFFETT: Yeah.