Berkshire-Hathaway had their annual shareholder's meeting today. Which is to say that two of the richest men on the planet got on a stage, took serious questions from the audience whose answers would shape the fortunes of the world, and shot back answers that were informative at the same time as they were on par with Stewart-Colbert for comedy value.
Here's how you stay mentally sharp and fit to guide the fortunes of the world into your ninth decade: Keep having fun.
Background:
For the entire 6-hour meeting, whenever Warren or Charlie aren't talking, they're chowing down on peanut brittle and coke.
Buffett was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. He's 81 now, and the shareholders have been getting antsy about him choosing a successor.
Question from the audience: How are you feeling?
Warren: I feel terrific. I always feel terrific. I love what I do, I work with people I love. Its more fun every day. Basically I think I have a good immune system. My diet is such as any fool can plainly see, Im eating properly. All i can say is that it works. and I have four doctors. At least a few of them own Berkshire-Hathaway. My wife and my daughter and I listen to four of them, they describe various alternatives. The ones that they recommend do not involve a day of hospitalization, they dont require me to take a day off from work, the survival numbers are way up, 99 and a half percent for 10 years. Maybe Ill get shot by a jealous husband. This is a really minor event.
Charlie: I rather resent all this attention and sympathy that Warren has, I probably have more prostate cancer than he does. I dont know because I dont let them test for it. Anyways, I want the sympathy.
However, two ancient billionaires who can afford the care of four doctors, and whoon the stage before people who carejosh about how perfectly healthy they are, while engaging in ah-shucks-we're-just-plain-folks humor, certainly raise some red flags. There are several layers of critique, incredulity, and irony that might apply.