Elon Musk thinks Warren Buffetts job is boring and wouldnt want it. What does the Sage of Omaha think of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO?
This weekend the legendary investor offered his take on the mercurial Twitter owner.
Elon is a brilliant, brilliant guy, the Berkshire CEO said during the Q&A session of the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting on Saturday. He dreams about things, and his dreams have got a foundation.
Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger, sitting next to Buffett, was asked if Musk overestimates himself.
Well, yes, I think Elon Musk overestimates himself, but he is very talented, Munger replied. He would not have achieved what he has in life if he hadnt tried for unreasonably extreme objectives. He likes taking on the impossible job and doing it.
But, Munger added, Were different. Warren and I are looking for the easy job that we can identify.
Yeah, if we can do it playing Tic-Tac-Toe, well do it, you know Buffett agreed. We dont want to compete with Elon in a lot of things.
We dont want that much failure, Munger added, drawing laughter from the audience.
Buffett said of Musks pursuits, It takes over your life in a way that just doesnt fit us. But there are gonna bewell, there have been important things done by Elon already. And it requires, fanaticism isnt the word
Yeah it is the word, Munger interjected, drawing laughs again.
Well it isnt quite the word, Buffett said, but its a dedication to solving the impossible, and every now and then hell do it. But it would be torturous to me or Charlie. I like the way Im living, and I wouldnt enjoy being in hisbut he wouldnt enjoy being in my shoes either.
He recommended watching Musks recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, in which he said the Tesla CEO did a terrific job of going toe-to-toe with the comedic host.
Last month, Musk was asked on Twitter who hed prefer to Janet Yellen as U.S. treasury secretary, who in his mind is insufficiently concerned about the nations soaring debt.
Probably Buffett, he replied. He could do it using less than an hours time per week.
But, Musk told Time in his Person of the Year interview in December 2021, he wouldnt want Buffetts job of identifying undervalued companies to add to the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate: Does anybody want that job? I think most people do not. I dont want that job.
