I talked to one accountant, a very nice fellow who I would…
![“I talked to one accountant, a very nice fellow who I would have been glad to have his family marry into mine. He said, "What these other accounting firms have done is very unethical. The [tax avoidance scheme] works best if it's not found out [by the IRS], so we only give it to our best clients…” quote by Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/b14/charlie-munger-458_accountants_i-talked-to-one-accountant-a-very-nice-f_2980092.jpg)
“I talked to one accountant, a very nice fellow who I would have been glad to have his family marry into mine. He said, "What these other accounting firms have done is very unethical. The [tax avoidance scheme] works best if it's not found out [by the IRS], so we only give it to our best clients, not the rest, so it's unlikely to be discovered. So my firm is better than the others." [Laughter] I'm not kidding. And he was a perfectly nice man. People just follow the crowd...Their mind just drifts off in a ghastly way.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
An accountant admits unethical tax practices, rationalizing them as exclusive to elite clients
In simple terms: Some professionals justify wrongdoing by claiming exclusivity
Key Takeaway
Beware of rationalizations that hide unethical behavior
Themes
ethics
corporate culture
tax law
Mood
critical
cautious
Type
ethical
professional
When to use this quote
- Accounting firms
- tax avoidance schemes
- client selection
- regulatory oversight
Key Concepts
Moral hazard
groupthink
Questions to Reflect On
- What pressures lead to unethical rationalization?
- How can firms enforce ethical standards?
A Different Perspective
Such justifications erode trust and legal compliance