--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'I don't need brains,' says the…" description: "\"'I don't need brains,' says the billionaire contemptuously. 'I'm brainy enough myself!' The broker cries out in desperation, 'What, in heaven's name, d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/konrad-lorenz-8538_answer_i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire_98640.jpg" --- # 'I don't need brains,' says the billionaire… ![“'I don't need brains,' says the billionaire contemptuously. 'I'm brainy enough myself!' The broker cries out in desperation, 'What, in heaven's name, do you want?' 'Goodness,' is the answer.” quote by Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/konrad-lorenz-8538_answer_i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire_98640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/konrad-lorenz-8538_answer_i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire_98640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/konrad-lorenz-8538_answer_i-don-t-need-brains-says-the-billionaire_98640.jpg) > “'I don't need brains,' says the billionaire contemptuously. 'I'm brainy enough myself!' The broker cries out in desperation, 'What, in heaven's name, do you want?' 'Goodness,' is the answer.” [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker dismisses the need for intellect, yet paradoxically claims personal intellectual adequacy, exposing a self‑serving rationalization that avoids genuine inquiry. **In simple terms:** Denial of need for thought while claiming to be smart. Key Takeaway Self‑justification masks true curiosity. Themes ego self‑deception intellectual humility Mood ironic critical Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - executives ignoring expert advice - students overconfident about knowledge - politicians deflecting criticism Key Concepts cognitive dissonance self‑serving bias Practical Applications - Encourage questioning assumptions - Promote external feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be 'brainy enough'? - How can we recognize when ego blocks learning? A Different Perspective Claiming 'enough brain' can still be a genuine confidence in expertise, not just ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Billionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billionaire/) [Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains/) [Desperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperation/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) ## Related quotes > [All that I need now is someone with the brains and the know-how to tell me what I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mann/all-that-i-need-now-is-someone-with-the-brains-and-the-know-how-to/) [Aimee Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mann/) > [“Of course those that have charm don't really need brains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/of-course-those-that-have-charm-don-t-really-need-brains/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“Zoe was a zombie in serious need of some brains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-grey/zoe-was-a-zombie-in-serious-need-of-some-brains/) [Kendall Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-grey/) > [You don't need any brains to listen to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/you-don-t-need-any-brains-to-listen-to-music/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [All I need is my brains, my eyes and my personality, for better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-albert-allard/all-i-need-is-my-brains-my-eyes-and-my-personality-for-better-or-for/) [William Albert Allard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-albert-allard/) > [The media know exactly what they're doing, focusing our attention on Arsenio's hairdo. 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Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-bernstein/) > [“A politician in our democratic government is a broker for the use of government force to the highest bidders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erne-lewis/a-politician-in-our-democratic-government-is-a-broker-for-the-use-of/) Erne Lewis > [What boy well raised can compare with your street gamin who has the knowledge and the shrewdness of a grown-up broker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/what-boy-well-raised-can-compare-with-your-street-gamin-who-has-the/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“You know Quinn?" Macaulay asked me. "Ten minutes ago I was putting him to bed." Macaulay grinned. "I hope you keep his acquaintance like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/you-know-quinn-macaulay-asked-me-ten-minutes-ago-i-was-putting-him-to/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) ## More by Konrad Lorenz > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [I owe undying gratitude to my patient parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/i-owe-undying-gratitude-to-my-patient-parents/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/it-is-a-good-morning-exercise-for-a-research-scientist-to-discard-a/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [I have found the missing link between the higher ape and civilized man; it is we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/i-have-found-the-missing-link-between-the-higher-ape-and-civilized/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [The fidelity of a dog is a precious gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/the-fidelity-of-a-dog-is-a-precious-gift/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [Whenever we find, in two forms of life that are unrelated to each other, a similarity of form or of behaviour patterns which relates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/whenever-we-find-in-two-forms-of-life-that-are-unrelated-to-each/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [...he who has seen the intimate beauty of nature cannot tear himself away from it again. 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Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) Jon Ellis > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. 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