---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've used derivatives for many, many…"
description: "\"We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are dangerous.\" — Warren Buffett"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png"
---

#  We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think…

![“We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are dangerous.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png)

> “We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are dangerous.”

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

## About This Quote

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

Derivatives can be risky tools despite their usefulness.

**In simple terms:** Derivatives are dangerous.

Key Takeaway

Use derivatives cautiously.

Themes

finance risk management investment

Mood

cautious pragmatic

Type

advisory philosophical

When to use this quote

- portfolio diversification
- risk assessment
- trading strategies
- financial education

Key Concepts

Leverage market speculation hedging strategies

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you fully understand the instruments you use?
- How can you mitigate derivative risks?

A Different Perspective

Complexity can mask hidden dangers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are dangerous. ...So we use lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-years-i-don-t-think-derivatives-2/)

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

> [Derivatives in and of themselves are not evil. There's nothing evil about how they're traded, how they're accounted for, and how they're financed, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-chanos/derivatives-in-and-of-themselves-are-not-evil-there-s-nothing-evil/)

[James Chanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-chanos/)

> [What I think about derivatives is if every institution that owns or trades them is properly margined and marked to market, including end-users, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/what-i-think-about-derivatives-is-if-every-institution-that-owns-or/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

> [I'm such a dork, but I really think there are derivatives to be found between story arcs and character motivations. And the way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/i-m-such-a-dork-but-i-really-think-there-are-derivatives-to-be-found/)

[Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/)

> [In our view, derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction carrying dangers that, while latent, are potentially lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/in-our-view-derivatives-are-financial-weapons-of-mass-destruction/)

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

> [Derivatives are like sex. It's not who we're sleeping with, it's who they're sleeping with that's the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/derivatives-are-like-sex-it-s-not-who-we-re-sleeping-with-it-s-who/)

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

> [If AIG had tried to unwind their derivatives books. I don't know. It would have hit every institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-aig-had-tried-to-unwind-their-derivatives-books-i-don-t-know-it/)

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

> [I view derivatives as time bombs, both for the parties that deal in them and the economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-view-derivatives-as-time-bombs-both-for-the-parties-that-deal-in/)

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

> [Derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/derivatives-are-financial-weapons-of-mass-destruction/)

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

> [At Berkshire, I both initiate and monitor every derivatives contract on our books ... If Berkshire ever gets in trouble, it will be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/at-berkshire-i-both-initiate-and-monitor-every-derivatives-contract/)

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

> [The range of derivatives contracts is limited only by the imagination of man (or sometimes, so it seems, madmen). Say you want to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-range-of-derivatives-contracts-is-limited-only-by-the-imagination/)

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

> [Having a large amount of leverage is like driving a car with a dagger on the steering wheel pointed at your heart. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/having-a-large-amount-of-leverage-is-like-driving-a-car-with-a-dagger/)

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

> [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/)

[Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/)

> [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [From the 1990s onward, the financial sector created a vast array of instruments designed to separate investors from their money, financial derivatives of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-casti/from-the-1990s-onward-the-financial-sector-created-a-vast-array-of/)

[John L. Casti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-casti/)

## More by Warren Buffett

> [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/)

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

> [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/)

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

> [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/)

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

> [We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-set-no-volume-goals-in-our-insurance-business-generally-and/)

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

> [Everybody's got a different circle of competence. The important thing is not how big the circle is. The important thing is staying inside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/everybody-s-got-a-different-circle-of-competence-the-important-thing/)

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

> [It is better to point out your own mistakes than have somebody else do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-is-better-to-point-out-your-own-mistakes-than-have-somebody-else/)

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

> [I've read about all the sales today. If you're an auto dealer, you're feeling it. If you're a furniture retailer like we are, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-ve-read-about-all-the-sales-today-if-you-re-an-auto-dealer-you-re/)

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

> [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/)

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

> [The most common cause of low prices is pessimism - some times pervasive, some times specific to a company or industry. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-common-cause-of-low-prices-is-pessimism-some-times-pervasive/)

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

> [The reaction of weak management to weak operations is often weak accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-reaction-of-weak-management-to-weak-operations-is-often-weak/)

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

> [What you really want to do in investments is figure out what's important and knowable. If it's unimportant or unknowable you forget about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/what-you-really-want-to-do-in-investments-is-figure-out-what-s/)

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

> [I don't measure my life by the money I've made. Other people might, but certainly don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-don-t-measure-my-life-by-the-money-i-ve-made-other-people-might-but/)

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

> [I mean the truth is, I've never had it so good in terms of taxes. I am paying the lowest tax rate that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-mean-the-truth-is-i-ve-never-had-it-so-good-in-terms-of-taxes-i-am/)

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

> [The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-most-important-quality-for-an-investor-is-temperament-not/)

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

> [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/)

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

[Explore all 984 Warren Buffett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are dangerous.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Warren Buffett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-years-i-don-t-think-derivatives/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-years-i-don-t-think-derivatives/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0d/warren-buffett-183_attention_we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-yea_1084580.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We've used derivatives for many, many years. I don't think derivatives are evil, per se, I think they are…” — Warren Buffett",
                "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": "Warren Buffett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We've used derivatives for many, many...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-years-i-don-t-think-derivatives/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/we-ve-used-derivatives-for-many-many-years-i-don-t-think-derivatives/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
