---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the reason why we got into such…"
description: "\"I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in investment management is best illustrated by a story that I tell about the guy who sold fishing tackl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg"
---

#  I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in…

![“I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in investment management is best illustrated by a story that I tell about the guy who sold fishing tackle. I asked him, &quot;My God, they're purple and green. Do fish really take these lures?&quot; And he said, &quot;Mister, I don't sell to fish.&quot; Investment…” quote by Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg)

> “I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in investment management is best illustrated by a story that I tell about the guy who sold fishing tackle. I asked him, "My God, they're purple and green. Do fish really take these lures?" And he said, "Mister, I don't sell to fish." Investment managers are in the position of that fishing tackle salesman.”

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Investment managers often sell ideas that don’t suit the market, like a fisherman selling lures to fish.

**In simple terms:** Managers sell unsuitable products.

Key Takeaway

Align offerings with actual client needs.

Themes

investment misalignment marketing

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- portfolio construction
- product development
- client meetings

Key Concepts

behavioral finance client focus

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you better understand client needs?
- When is it okay to challenge client assumptions?

A Different Perspective

Clients may resist unconventional ideas.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishing/) [Idiocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiocy/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Investment management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment-management/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [A Lesson on Elementary, Worldly Wisdom As It Relates To Investment Management &amp; Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/a-lesson-on-elementary-worldly-wisdom-as-it-relates-to-investment/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [There's more honor in investment management than in investment banking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/there-s-more-honor-in-investment-management-than-in-investment-banking/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> ['Crowd folly', the tendency of humans, under some circumstances, to resemble lemmings, explains much foolish thinking of brilliant men and much foolish behavior -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/crowd-folly-the-tendency-of-humans-under-some-circumstances-to/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [In investment management today, everybody wants not only to win, but to have a yearly outcome path that never diverges very much from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/in-investment-management-today-everybody-wants-not-only-to-win-but-to/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [The essence of investment management is the management of risks, not the management of returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-essence-of-investment-management-is-the-management-of-risks-not/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [People who watch their weight, golf scores, and fuel bills seem to shun quantitative evaluation of their investment management skills although it involves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/people-who-watch-their-weight-golf-scores-and-fuel-bills-seem-to-shun/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

> [ The illusion of skill is not only an individual aberration; it is deeply ingrained in the culture of the \[investment management\] industry. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/the-illusion-of-skill-is-not-only-an-individual-aberration-it-is/)

[Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/)

> [The most treasured asset in investment management is a steady hand at the tiller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-arnott/the-most-treasured-asset-in-investment-management-is-a-steady-hand-at/)

[Robert D. Arnott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-arnott/)

> [I founded SkyBridge - an alternative investment management company focused on seeding and partnering with emerging managers and mentoring Wall Street's next generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-founded-skybridge-an-alternative-investment-management-company/)

[Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/)

> [The fundamental work of investment management is filtering. The question is what do you filter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-luskin/the-fundamental-work-of-investment-management-is-filtering-the/)

[Donald Luskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-luskin/)

> [The general systems of money management today require people to pretend to do something they can't do and like something they don't. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-general-systems-of-money-management-today-require-people-to-2/)

[John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/)

> [Invest in low-turnover, passively managed index funds... and stay away from profit-driven investment management organizations... The mutual fund industry is a colossal failure... resulting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/invest-in-low-turnover-passively-managed-index-funds-and-stay-away/)

[David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/)

> [We at Fidelity view ourselves just as much a financial information processing company as an investment management firm. That may not be too newsworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-johnson/we-at-fidelity-view-ourselves-just-as-much-a-financial-information/)

[Abigail Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-johnson/)

> [I was an ambassador for Betway during the Rugby World Cup and at the moment I'm working as an ambassador for Artemis Investment Management.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tindall/i-was-an-ambassador-for-betway-during-the-rugby-world-cup-and-at-the/)

[Mike Tindall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tindall/)

> [In my opinion, the entire field of investment management, involving hundreds of billions of dollars, would be more satisfactorily conducted if everyone had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/in-my-opinion-the-entire-field-of-investment-management-involving/)

[Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

## More by Charlie Munger

> [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [I think time and time again, in reality, psychological notions and economic notions interplay, and the man who doesn't understand both is a damned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-time-and-time-again-in-reality-psychological-notions-and/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [I have what I call an iron prescription that helps me keep sane when I naturally drift toward preferring one ideology over another and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-have-what-i-call-an-iron-prescription-that-helps-me-keep-sane-when/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [The tax code gives you an enormous advantage if you can find some things you can just sit with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-tax-code-gives-you-an-enormous-advantage-if-you-can-find-some/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [The great lesson in microeconomics is to discriminate between when technology is going to help you and when it's going to kill you. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-great-lesson-in-microeconomics-is-to-discriminate-between-when/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [Some years ago one oil company bought a fertilizer company, and every other major oil company practically ran out and bought a fertilizer company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/some-years-ago-one-oil-company-bought-a-fertilizer-company-and-every/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [ They \[Mc Donalds\] take people and give them a first job, which enables them to get a second job. They do a very good… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/they-mc-donalds-take-people-and-give-them-a-first-job-which-enables/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [What good is envy? It’s the one sin you can’t have any fun at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/what-good-is-envy-it-s-the-one-sin-you-can-t-have-any-fun-at/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [We believe that almost all really good investment records will involve relatively little diversification. The basic idea that it was hard to find good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-believe-that-almost-all-really-good-investment-records-will/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [It is way less certain to be a wonderful business in the future. The threat is alternative mediums of information. Every newspaper is scrambling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/it-is-way-less-certain-to-be-a-wonderful-business-in-the-future-the/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [In the corporate world, if you have analysts, due diligence, and no horse sense, you've just described hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/in-the-corporate-world-if-you-have-analysts-due-diligence-and-no/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [We have to have a special insight, or we'll put it in the 'too tough' basket. All of you have to look for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-have-to-have-a-special-insight-or-we-ll-put-it-in-the-too-tough/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

> [I've heard that one-half of the students at elite schools want to go into private equity or hedge funds. They want to keep up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-ve-heard-that-one-half-of-the-students-at-elite-schools-want-to-go/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

[Explore all 544 Charlie Munger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

## More Fishes quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/)

[Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/)

> [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/)

[John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/)

> [My kids all do love to hunt and fish. When they get together, I think that's what they get together more for than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-kids-all-do-love-to-hunt-and-fish-when-they-get-together-i-think/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/)

[Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/)

> [Many years ago I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realised, 'I am killing him - all for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/many-years-ago-i-was-fishing-and-as-i-was-reeling-in-the-poor-fish-i/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [When they started to drain a swamp where birds and fish had lived, for a new housing development down the road from his apartment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/when-they-started-to-drain-a-swamp-where-birds-and-fish-had-lived-for/)

[Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/)

> [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/)

[Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/)

> [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/)

[Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/)

> [The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/the-trouble-is-you-can-t-properly-present-something-you-don-t-believe/)

[Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/)

> [We cannot predict the new forces, powers, and discoveries that will be disclosed to us when we reach the other planets and set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/we-cannot-predict-the-new-forces-powers-and-discoveries-that-will-be/)

[Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/)

> [and Venus among the fishes skips and is a she-dolphin she is the gay, delighted porpoise sporting with love and the sea she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/and-venus-among-the-fishes-skips-and-is-a-she-dolphin-she-is-the-gay/)

[D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/)

> [We're living in a time when parenting is not at all mirroring the way I was parented. For me, I just followed my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-falco/we-re-living-in-a-time-when-parenting-is-not-at-all-mirroring-the-way/)

[Edie Falco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-falco/)

Browse all 2,026 Fishes quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in investment management is best illustrated by a story that I tell about the guy who sold fishing tackle. I asked him, \"My God, they're purple and green. Do fish really take these lures?\" And he said, \"Mister, I don't sell to fish.\" Investment managers are in the position of that fishing tackle salesman.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charlie Munger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such-idiocy-in-investment/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fishes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such-idiocy-in-investment/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/charlie-munger-458_fishes_i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such_2473708.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think the reason why we got into such idiocy in investment management is best illustrated by a story that…” — Charlie Munger",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charlie Munger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think the reason why we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such-idiocy-in-investment/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-the-reason-why-we-got-into-such-idiocy-in-investment/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
