--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man…" description: "\"Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.' I would rather make money playing a piano in a whorehouse than argui..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/charlie-munger-458_arguing_quoting-demosthenes-for-what-each-man-wi_2785864.jpg" --- # Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man wishes, that he… ![“Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.' I would rather make money playing a piano in a whorehouse than arguing that no cost is incurred when employees are paid in stock options instead of cash. I am not kidding.” quote by Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/charlie-munger-458_arguing_quoting-demosthenes-for-what-each-man-wi_2785864.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/charlie-munger-458_arguing_quoting-demosthenes-for-what-each-man-wi_2785864.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cd/charlie-munger-458_arguing_quoting-demosthenes-for-what-each-man-wi_2785864.jpg) > “Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.' I would rather make money playing a piano in a whorehouse than arguing that no cost is incurred when employees are paid in stock options instead of cash. I am not kidding.” [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. People often believe what they want, even if false; personal preferences can outweigh rational analysis. **In simple terms:** We believe what we want, not what’s true. Key Takeaway Align decisions with evidence, not desire. Themes belief desire rationality economics Mood cautious analytical Type financial philosophical When to use this quote - investment strategy - personal finance - organizational policy - negotiations Key Concepts cognitive bias decision making Questions to Reflect On - How to detect wishful thinking? - What tools aid objective decision‑making? A Different Perspective Strong desires may cloud judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employee/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Making money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-money/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-playing-799968/) [Options Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/options-instead-2635282/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Paid Stock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-stock-1083306/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Quoting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting/) [Quoting Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting-demosthenes-3343231/) [Stock options](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stock-options/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Don't get trapped by looking at what the price was that you paid for some stock originally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/don-t-get-trapped-by-looking-at-what-the-price-was-that-you-paid-for/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [“Options are overrated; they tend to overwhelm us and lead to mediocre lives. When we have too many options, we spend our lives maintaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-parker-hill/options-are-overrated-they-tend-to-overwhelm-us-and-lead-to-mediocre/) [Genevieve Parker Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-parker-hill/) > [There's no point in going back to an ex. Explore new options instead of dwelling on options that didn't work the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-no-point-in-going-back-to-an-ex-explore-new-options-instead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Black-Scholes is a know-nothing system. If you know nothing about value - only price - then Black-Scholes is a pretty good guess at what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/black-scholes-is-a-know-nothing-system-if-you-know-nothing-about/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Ed Woolard, his mentor on the Apple board, pressed Jobs for more than two years to drop the interim in front of his CEO…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/ed-woolard-his-mentor-on-the-apple-board-pressed-jobs-for-more-than/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [It is far better to keep the enemy close, by bribing him with stock options, than to have him out in the wild, foraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/it-is-far-better-to-keep-the-enemy-close-by-bribing-him-with-stock/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [If bankers can push the loans and make more profits for the bank, they get paid higher bonuses. They often also get stock options.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/if-bankers-can-push-the-loans-and-make-more-profits-for-the-bank-they/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [Successful trading depends on the 3M's - Mind, Method and Money. Beginners focus on analysis, but professionals operate in a three dimensional space. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-elder/successful-trading-depends-on-the-3m-s-mind-method-and-money/) [Alexander Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-elder/) > [The depths of the Depression. You didn't ask what the job was, what the pay was, you didn't ask about stock options, or -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-linkletter/the-depths-of-the-depression-you-didn-t-ask-what-the-job-was-what-the/) [Art Linkletter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-linkletter/) > [In confusing stock options with ownership, corporations confuse trappings with substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-confusing-stock-options-with-ownership-corporations-confuse/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [We believe the super stock option will become a reality before the end of 2000, ... It's a good idea whose time has come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/we-believe-the-super-stock-option-will-become-a-reality-before-the/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [As for the employees, the payment in stock options revives, somewhat ironically, the old anarchist ideology of self-management of the company, as they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-castells/as-for-the-employees-the-payment-in-stock-options-revives-somewhat/) [Manuel Castells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-castells/) > [One of the best programmers I ever hired had only a High School degree; he's produced a lot of great software, has his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-norvig/one-of-the-best-programmers-i-ever-hired-had-only-a-high-school/) [Peter Norvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-norvig/) > [I tried paying at a restaurant with stock options. It didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-conrad/i-tried-paying-at-a-restaurant-with-stock-options-it-didn-t-work/) [Parker Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-conrad/) > [Software-industry battles are fought by highly paid and out-of-shape nerds furiously pounding computer keyboards while they guzzle diet Coke. The stakes aren't very dramatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/software-industry-battles-are-fought-by-highly-paid-and-out-of-shape/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## 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 Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Quoting Demosthenes, 'For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.' I would rather make money playing a piano in a whorehouse than arguing that no cost is incurred when employees are paid in stock options instead of cash. 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