--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Businesses can be opaque. They are…" description: "\"Businesses can be opaque. They are complex. You don't know how aircraft engines work either.\" — Jamie Dimon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/131/jamie-dimon-1320_aircraft_businesses-can-be-opaque-they-are-comple_2093825.png" --- # Businesses can be opaque. They are complex. You don't know… ![“Businesses can be opaque. They are complex. You don't know how aircraft engines work either.” quote by Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/131/jamie-dimon-1320_aircraft_businesses-can-be-opaque-they-are-comple_2093825.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/131/jamie-dimon-1320_aircraft_businesses-can-be-opaque-they-are-comple_2093825.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/131/jamie-dimon-1320_aircraft_businesses-can-be-opaque-they-are-comple_2093825.png) > “Businesses can be opaque. They are complex. You don't know how aircraft engines work either.” [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Businesses often hide their inner workings, making them as hard to understand as complex machinery like aircraft engines. **In simple terms:** Businesses are hard to understand. Key Takeaway Seek transparency and ask questions. Themes complexity opacity trust accountability Mood curious analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - investor meetings - employee onboarding - customer service - regulatory review Key Concepts systems thinking organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve transparency in your organization? - What information would help you trust a business? A Different Perspective Complexity can be reduced with clear communication and documentation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Opaque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opaque/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-management/) ## Related quotes > [I know something about aircraft carriers for real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-know-something-about-aircraft-carriers-for-real/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Glamour is translucent — not transparent, not opaque. It invites us into the world but it doesn’t give us a completely clear picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/glamour-is-translucent-not-transparent-not-opaque-it-invites-us-into/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [Things are opaque to us, and we are opaque to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/things-are-opaque-to-us-and-we-are-opaque-to-ourselves/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [If I were rich I would have many books, and I would pamper myself with bindings bright to the eye and soft to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/if-i-were-rich-i-would-have-many-books-and-i-would-pamper-myself-with/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-is-good-that-the-window-should-be-transparent-because-the-street/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Derivatives serve practically no purpose except to enrich bankers through opaque pricing and to deceive investors through off-the-balance-sheet accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-rickards/derivatives-serve-practically-no-purpose-except-to-enrich-bankers/) [James Rickards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-rickards/) > [Ready comprehension is often a knee-jerk response and the most dangerous form of understanding. It blinks an opaque screen over your ability to learn.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/ready-comprehension-is-often-a-knee-jerk-response-and-the-most/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [I'm interested in when language fails, when it is opaque.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/i-m-interested-in-when-language-fails-when-it-is-opaque/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [I've got spider veins all over my legs, so I wear opaque tights all winter. All sorts of colours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-ve-got-spider-veins-all-over-my-legs-so-i-wear-opaque-tights-all/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [No one can cross the boundary into another -- for the simple reason that no one can gain access to himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/no-one-can-cross-the-boundary-into-another-for-the-simple-reason-that/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [ History is opaque. You see what comes out, not the script that produces events, \[...\] The generator of historical events is different from the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/history-is-opaque-you-see-what-comes-out-not-the-script-that-produces/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Nothing is more opaque than absolute transparency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/nothing-is-more-opaque-than-absolute-transparency/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The new experience that has replaced dignified suffering is artificially prolonged, opaque, depersonalized maintenance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/the-new-experience-that-has-replaced-dignified-suffering-is/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [No one has ever laughed at a pun who did not see in the one word a twofold meaning. To materialists this world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/no-one-has-ever-laughed-at-a-pun-who-did-not-see-in-the-one-word-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“However, if application A is opaque and application B provides a rich set of observability tools, it’s very likely that application B will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gregg/however-if-application-a-is-opaque-and-application-b-provides-a-rich/) Brendan Gregg ## More by Jamie Dimon > [I think if we had another set of policies for - not the crisis years, but after that, that we might be growing faster.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-think-if-we-had-another-set-of-policies-for-not-the-crisis-years/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I learn from all our major competitors, whether they're in or out of the U.S. Wells Fargo is very actively, very aggressively, and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-learn-from-all-our-major-competitors-whether-they-re-in-or-out-of/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [The United States has the best, deepest, widest, and most transparent capital markets in the world which give you, the investor, the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/the-united-states-has-the-best-deepest-widest-and-most-transparent/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [People always say to me, "What if it doesn't work?" If it doesn't work, we redouble our effort. We're not going to cry like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/people-always-say-to-me-what-if-it-doesn-t-work-if-it-doesn-t-work-we/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [We've made a huge effort globally and in the US, in getting kids jobs. This is one piece. The South Bronx and inner-city schools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-ve-made-a-huge-effort-globally-and-in-the-us-in-getting-kids-jobs/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [You know, the benefit in life is to say, 'Maybe you made a mistake, let's dig deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/you-know-the-benefit-in-life-is-to-say-maybe-you-made-a-mistake-let-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [JP Morgan always has higher capital liquidity, that is partially to make up for mistakes and problems and obviously its a tough economy. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/jp-morgan-always-has-higher-capital-liquidity-that-is-partially-to/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Trade is very good for the country. It's very good for the GDP. It's good for wages, but it doesn't mean it's always good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/trade-is-very-good-for-the-country-it-s-very-good-for-the-gdp-it-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I've asked our people, "Why don't we just put a revolver on top of our basic loan?" Make it easier for the client.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-ve-asked-our-people-why-don-t-we-just-put-a-revolver-on-top-of-our/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [As a matter of fact 25% of our U.S. investment banking business comes out of our commercial bank. So it's a competitive advantage for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/as-a-matter-of-fact-25-of-our-u-s-investment-banking-business-comes/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ Not every company went bankrupt. Not every bank needed TARP \[Troubled Asset Relief Program\]. So I'm very proud that JPMorgan, throughout that time period,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/not-every-company-went-bankrupt-not-every-bank-needed-tarp-troubled/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I do want the tax system to be efficient and be conducive to growth, which it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-do-want-the-tax-system-to-be-efficient-and-be-conducive-to-growth/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ There are parts \[in Dodd-Frank\] that I don't agree with. But, in total, it is what it is. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/there-are-parts-in-dodd-frank-that-i-don-t-agree-with-but-in-total-it/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [It's good for America when the rest of the world grows, because you can sell more to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-good-for-america-when-the-rest-of-the-world-grows-because-you/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [We had a lot of gridlock on a lot of issues. But, the American system is pretty resilient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-had-a-lot-of-gridlock-on-a-lot-of-issues-but-the-american-system/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) [Explore all 257 Jamie Dimon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) ## More Aircraft quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [This aircraft tops everything. All the others look old as compared to this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-lauda/this-aircraft-tops-everything-all-the-others-look-old-as-compared-to/) [Niki Lauda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-lauda/) > [“A flat tire is like a bad attitude, you won't go anywhere until you change it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-brown/a-flat-tire-is-like-a-bad-attitude-you-won-t-go-anywhere-until-you/) Winston Brown > [I established strong connections between Rockwell and Israel Aircraft Industries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnon-milchan/i-established-strong-connections-between-rockwell-and-israel-aircraft/) [Arnon Milchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnon-milchan/) > [You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-mentioned-the-navy-for-example-and-that-we-have-fewer-ships-than/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our Red Army now needs IL-2 aircraft like the air it breathes, like the bread it eats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/our-red-army-now-needs-il-2-aircraft-like-the-air-it-breathes-like/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [At the end of the first half-century of engine-driven flight, we are confronted with the stark fact that the historical significance of aircraft has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/at-the-end-of-the-first-half-century-of-engine-driven-flight-we-are/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [We have built a total of about 1250 of this aircraft, but only fifty were allowed to be used as fighters - as interceptors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/we-have-built-a-total-of-about-1250-of-this-aircraft-but-only-fifty/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [These abnormal aspects included the shapes of UFOs and their behavior. Most of the UFOs seen in the daytime were said to have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-berliner/these-abnormal-aspects-included-the-shapes-of-ufos-and-their-behavior/) [Don Berliner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-berliner/) > [Marines have a cynical approach to war. They believe in three things; liberty, payday and that when two Marines are together in a fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-pyle/marines-have-a-cynical-approach-to-war-they-believe-in-three-things/) [Ernie Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-pyle/) > [I used to own some hobby aircraft, but I got rid of them. I didn't have the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-kalitta/i-used-to-own-some-hobby-aircraft-but-i-got-rid-of-them-i-didn-t-have/) [Connie Kalitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-kalitta/) > [California is a tragic country — like Palestine, like every Promised Land. Its short history is a fever-chart of migrations — the land rush,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/california-is-a-tragic-country-like-palestine-like-every-promised/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [Every time I've flown an aircraft, or visited a steelworks, or watched a panel-beater at work, I've learned something new that can be applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/every-time-i-ve-flown-an-aircraft-or-visited-a-steelworks-or-watched/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) Browse all 209 Aircraft quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Businesses can be opaque. 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