---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Volatility is a symptom that people have…"
description: "\"Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value-that they have stopped playing the asset game. They're not buying because it's..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png"
---

#  Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the…

![“Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value-that they have stopped playing the asset game. They're not buying because it's a company with certain attributes. They're buying because the price is rising. People are playing games not related to any concept at all of what…” quote by Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png)

> “Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value-that they have stopped playing the asset game. They're not buying because it's a company with certain attributes. They're buying because the price is rising. People are playing games not related to any concept at all of what the long-term value of the enterprise is. And they know it.”

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

## About This Quote

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

Investors chase price trends rather than fundamental value, turning markets into speculative games detached from long‑term enterprise health.

**In simple terms:** People focus on price, not real value.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize fundamentals over hype.

Themes

investment speculation value perception

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

thought‑provoking financial

When to use this quote

- portfolio management
- risk assessment
- long‑term investing
- financial education

Key Concepts

market psychology fundamental analysis behavioral finance

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives your investment decisions?
- How can you align with long‑term value?

A Different Perspective

Short‑term price focus can cause volatility and mispricing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-games/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Volatility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volatility/)

## Related quotes

> [Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have-no-idea-of-the-underlying-2/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [A margin of safety is achieved when securities are purchased at prices sufficiently below underlying value to allow for human error, bad luck, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/a-margin-of-safety-is-achieved-when-securities-are-purchased-at/)

[Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/)

> [The market is often stupid, but you can't focus on that. Focus on the underlying value of dividends and earnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-market-is-often-stupid-but-you-can-t-focus-on-that-focus-on-the/)

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

> [I think if art has one underlying value, it's that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavares-strachan/i-think-if-art-has-one-underlying-value-it-s-that/)

[Tavares Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavares-strachan/)

> [Value in relation to price, not price alone, must determine your investment decisions. If you look to Mr Market as a creator of investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/value-in-relation-to-price-not-price-alone-must-determine-your/)

[Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/)

> [The real underlying value comes if you can put a company back into a running state and it becomes a successful viable entity if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/the-real-underlying-value-comes-if-you-can-put-a-company-back-into-a/)

[Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/)

> [A stock is not just a ticker symbol or an electronic blip; it is an ownership interest in an actual business, with an underlying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/a-stock-is-not-just-a-ticker-symbol-or-an-electronic-blip-it-is-an/)

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

> [Investors should pay attention not only to whether but also to why current holdings are undervalued. It is critical to know why you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/investors-should-pay-attention-not-only-to-whether-but-also-to-why/)

[Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/)

> [Ridiculous as our market volatility might seem to an intelligent Martian, it is our reality and everyone loves to trot out the 'quote' attributed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/ridiculous-as-our-market-volatility-might-seem-to-an-intelligent/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [I mean, we've always had gold bugs, but now we sort of realize that Treasure Bills might be in the same category. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-engle/i-mean-we-ve-always-had-gold-bugs-but-now-we-sort-of-realize-that/)

[Robert F. Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-engle/)

> [We've seen the volatility at dollar-yen, U.S. Treasurys, JGBs (Japanese government bonds), German bunds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-ve-seen-the-volatility-at-dollar-yen-u-s-treasurys-jgbs-japanese/)

[Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/)

> [There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-living-in-a-home-with-an/)

[Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/)

> [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/)

[Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/)

> [Any system that is deprived of its natural volatility, with government up (unintelligible) volatile, any system becomes very fragile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/any-system-that-is-deprived-of-its-natural-volatility-with-government/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [Electricity transmission operates on a frequency between 49.7 Hertz and 50.2 Hertz. What I have done is petitioned the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/electricity-transmission-operates-on-a-frequency-between-49-7-hertz/)

[Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/)

## More by Jeremy Grantham

> [The investment business has taught me – increasingly as the years have passed – that people, especially investors (and, I believe, Americans), prefer good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/the-investment-business-has-taught-me-increasingly-as-the-years-have/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [The stock market is overpriced. Everything is overpriced. Junk is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/the-stock-market-is-overpriced-everything-is-overpriced-junk-is-king/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Some societies are also more optimistic than others: the U.S. and Australia are my two picks Tell a European you think there’s a housing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/some-societies-are-also-more-optimistic-than-others-the-u-s-and/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [The potential for alternative energy sources, mainly solar and wind power, to completely replace coal and gas for utility generation globally is, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/the-potential-for-alternative-energy-sources-mainly-solar-and-wind/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Battering down solar cells on the roofs of Wal-Marts in California. I think that will be some of the highest-return investments that anyone ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/battering-down-solar-cells-on-the-roofs-of-wal-marts-in-california-i/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [When it comes to portfolios, my personal advice is for anyone who can, put money into forestry or farmland. Long term, you would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/when-it-comes-to-portfolios-my-personal-advice-is-for-anyone-who-can/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [By background I'm both a Quaker and a Yorkshireman, which I like to call double jeopardy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/by-background-i-m-both-a-quaker-and-a-yorkshireman-which-i-like-to/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Libertarians believe that any government interference is bad. Anyone with a brain knows that climate change needs governmental leadership, and they can smell this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/libertarians-believe-that-any-government-interference-is-bad-anyone/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Think how weird profit margins are: We've got high unemployment and financial crises - and world record profit margins. People think the American market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/think-how-weird-profit-margins-are-we-ve-got-high-unemployment-and/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Bubbles have quite a few things in common, but housing bubbles have a spectacular thing in common, and that is every one of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/bubbles-have-quite-a-few-things-in-common-but-housing-bubbles-have-a/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Modern agriculture has been accurately described as a way of turning oil into food. As the price of oil continues to rise, so will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/modern-agriculture-has-been-accurately-described-as-a-way-of-turning/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [The individual is far better-positioned to wait patiently for the right pitch while paying no regard to what others are doing, which is almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/the-individual-is-far-better-positioned-to-wait-patiently-for-the/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [Ridiculous as our market volatility might seem to an intelligent Martian, it is our reality and everyone loves to trot out the 'quote' attributed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/ridiculous-as-our-market-volatility-might-seem-to-an-intelligent/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [We live on a finite planet. We have finite resources, and we're running out of good, arable land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/we-live-on-a-finite-planet-we-have-finite-resources-and-we-re-running/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

> [There is no single theory that is used in economics that considers the finite nature of resources. It's shocking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/there-is-no-single-theory-that-is-used-in-economics-that-considers/)

[Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

[Explore all 60 Jeremy Grantham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/)

## More Assets quotes

> [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [Most people put money in their piggy bank. I buy a goose that lays golden eggs over and over again. That's what an asset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/most-people-put-money-in-their-piggy-bank-i-buy-a-goose-that-lays/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

> [Groupon has some interesting assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cohler/groupon-has-some-interesting-assets/)

[Matt Cohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cohler/)

> [Developing expertise or assets that are not easily copied is essential; otherwise you're just a middleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/developing-expertise-or-assets-that-are-not-easily-copied-is/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Well I think they broke the mould when they made me and being humble is one of my great assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/well-i-think-they-broke-the-mould-when-they-made-me-and-being-humble/)

[Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/)

> [3 people get stranded on a remote Island A Banker, a Daily Mail reader &amp; an Asylum seeker All they have to eat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-brookmyre/3-people-get-stranded-on-a-remote-island-a-banker-a-daily-mail-reader/)

[Christopher Brookmyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-brookmyre/)

> [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/)

[W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/)

> [You have great assets if you're a dual-threat, but you still have to throw from the pocket and do all those types of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-mariota/you-have-great-assets-if-you-re-a-dual-threat-but-you-still-have-to/)

[Marcus Mariota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-mariota/)

> [Regulations for international accounting and funding will have to be examined to identify policies that inadvertently discourage institutional investors from putting their resources into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/regulations-for-international-accounting-and-funding-will-have-to-be/)

[Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/)

> [I think Kwame will be an asset to the Lakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-think-kwame-will-be-an-asset-to-the-lakers/)

[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/)

> [ \[When I die\], I will decidedly not be regretting missed opportunities for a good time. My regrets will be more along the lines of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/when-i-die-i-will-decidedly-not-be-regretting-missed-opportunities/)

[Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/)

> [Sourav's greatest asset is his ability to communicate. He is a naturally very confident person. He encourages his team, is a great motivator and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shastri/sourav-s-greatest-asset-is-his-ability-to-communicate-he-is-a/)

[Ravi Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shastri/)

> [When you consider the sheer magnitude of investable equities to choose from in the world's emerging markets, you realize that finding one that looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mobius/when-you-consider-the-sheer-magnitude-of-investable-equities-to/)

[Mark Mobius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mobius/)

> [I was impressed for the ten thousandth time by the fact that literature illuminates life only for those to whom books are a necessity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-impressed-for-the-ten-thousandth-time-by-the-fact-that/)

[Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/)

> [If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's mentality toward the assets He had entrusted - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/if-god-was-the-owner-i-was-the-manager-i-needed-to-adopt-a-steward-s/)

[Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/)

Browse all 957 Assets quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value-that they have stopped playing the asset game. They're not buying because it's a company with certain attributes. They're buying because the price is rising. People are playing games not related to any concept at all of what the long-term value of the enterprise is. And they know it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jeremy Grantham"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have-no-idea-of-the-underlying/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Assets"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have-no-idea-of-the-underlying/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8c/jeremy-grantham-11433_assets_volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have_541542.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Volatility is a symptom that people have no idea of the underlying value-that they have stopped playing the…” — Jeremy Grantham",
                "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": "Jeremy Grantham",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Volatility is a symptom that people...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have-no-idea-of-the-underlying/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/volatility-is-a-symptom-that-people-have-no-idea-of-the-underlying/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
