QuestionerMy question is not about money. It's about friendship. How do you remain friends and business partners for so long? And what advice do you have for young people like me in selecting true friends and future business partners?
WarrenWell, when Charlie and I met in 1959, we were introduced by the Davis family, and they predicted it within 30 minutes we would either not be able to stand each other or we'd get along terribly. And that was a fairly insightful analysis, actually, by the Davis's, because you had two personalities that both had some tendencies toward dominance on certain situations. But we just, we hit it off. We have disagreed, but we have never had an argument that I can remember at all in 43 years, and yet we both have strong opinions, and they aren't the same strong opinions at times. But the truth is, we've had enormous amount of of fun together. We continue to have an enormous amount of fun. And nothing will change that, basically. It may have worked better because he's in California and I'm in Omo. I don't know. I'll let Charlie comment on it.
CharlieWell, that's a wonderful question you've asked, because Warren and I both know some very successful businessmen who have not one true friend on earth, and rightly so. That's true. That is no way to live a life. And if by asking that question you're asking, how do I get the right friends, you are really onto the right question. And when you get with the right friends, if you've worked hard at becoming the right sort of fellow, I think you'll recognize what you have and then all you have to do is hang on. The real question is, what do you like in other people? I mean, what do you you want from a friend. And if you'll think about it, there's certain qualities that you admire other people, that you find likable, that you, and cause you to want to be around certain people. And then look at those qualities and say to yourself, which of these is it physically or mentally impossible for me to have? And the answer will be none. You know, I mean, you, it's only reasonable that if certain things attract you to other people, that if you possess those, they will attract other people to you. And secondarily, if you find certain things repulsive in other people, whether they brag or they're dishonest or whatever it may be, that turns you off, it's going to turn other people off if you possess those qualities. And those are choices. You know, very few of those things, you know, are in your DNA. They are choices.