Warren Buffet is an aspie?!

Post Reply New Topic

I just read somewhere on the intarwebs that Warren Buffet is an aspergerian. Can any one confirm this?

The man himself.

No way. Social connections, not talent or ability, are needed to become that rich. The aspies throughout history have mostly been artists, scientists and engineers. They lived modestly while others have profited from their work.

This review of a new book about Buffett suggests it's true:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 914636.ece

Speculations that key historical figures like Einstein have Aspergers are simply that: speculations. Speculations perpetuated by the pro-ASD movement to prevent us realizing that we can't succeed in society.

Dan Aykroyd, Pip Brown, Craig Nichols and Gary Numan have all been diagnosed as having aspergers and they appear to be "suceeding" just fine.

AS is defined and diagnosed differently in various nations and by individual neurologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. My neurologists (I've seen three) all get annoyed by the idea of psychiatrists, psychologists, or therapists diagnosing the condition. And they dislike "pop" diagnoses, whether Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, or Albert Einstein.

I'm skeptical of any AS diagnosis of a person whose life has involved significant socialization, or whose success has hinged on interpersonal interaction. Given the nonverbal communication impairment common among Aspies, it just seems improbable.

But success is a separate issue. An Aspie whose special interest combines with a gift/talent that turns out to be valued by society at large will succeed in some measure. But I guess it comes down to how you define success.

Getting rich also takes an ability to ignore certain social rules. Connections help, but just "doing what it takes, whatever it takes" helps more. I've worked with many self-made rich over the years (I'm a CPA) and I would say that most do NOT have great social skills. They're really smart, have unbelievable instincts in their fields, and are ruthless when it comes to business. It wouldn't surprise me at all if some were AS. Obviously, its a very high functioning AS without debilitating sensory issues or anxiety. And with a whole lotta luck.

I don't think the success stories are feel-good inventions. But people do have to keep them in perspective. There are co-morbids, IQ differences, and millions of other things that can stand in the way and change one's odds in life. This is true for NT's, as well. As a parent, I feel its important for my son to know that its possible to have AS and be successful. Is it possible to have AS, his slower processing speed, his unique co-morbids, and be successful? That is going to be different equation, just as it would be for any unique individual. He has dreams and they aren't impossible; I'm going to do what I can to help him realize them, with a dose of realism, and not squash them.

My special interest is analysis of the stock market price action. After I accepted I was an Aspie it occured to me that Warren Buffett was too. When people talk about Bill Gates possibly being an Aspie I wonder how they didnt notice that his friend Buffett's quirks are more consistent with being an Aspie than Bill Gates.

My other special interest is the life and times of Jesse Livermore, the world most famous speculator. He was born in 1877. Like Buffett he had an ability to understand people with respect to business which is not an Aspie strength. But like Buffett he was the most solitary person. He had Aspie eyes in the few pictures Ive seen of him. He was always well dressed and concerned with appearance which is not Aspie but I feel it was a bit of a front. His life was very consistent with the Aspie personality. Suggested reading: "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" and "The Amazing Life of Jesse Livermore".

What about Soros too?

Last edited by flamingshorts on 29 Jul 2009, 1:41 am, edited 2 times in total.

Buffett's success hinges on his lack of interpersonal interaction. That's why he lives in Omaha instead of New York, so he doesnt meet anybody to "talk stocks". Livermore had a rule of "No talking" in his office, a blacked out car, private elevator, private rail car and a rule "Tell no one, work in secrecy and silence." A well known trader Nicolas Darvas wrote on the problem of talking and stocks, "My ears were my enimies." Social interaction is deadly for stock market decision making.

Warren Buffett lives in an average house in a neighborhood next to the one that I grew up in(In Omaha Nebraska). I don't think he has Aspergers. A girl I went to school with lived next door to him, and said that he is just like anyone else.

Probably because of the stereotype "Asperger = computer nerd".

I agree with this and I dislike the idea of pop diagnosis too.

My father has met and plays with BOTH bill gates and Warren Buffet. Buffet and Gates generally play together. Gates is unusual, rocks, and has been said to have a "syndrome", and AS has been mentioned. He acts autistic in some ways, and wikipedia makes it sound like he started out like an aspie. He worked with computers, etc.... He wants NEWFANGLED STUFF!

Buffet is WELL KNOWN for sticking with the tried and true. Until L3, he AVOIDED new stuff, and stuck with what he knew!

BTW Buffet meets with LOTS of people, and LOVES IT!

WHO could say buffet is AS!?!?

Warren Buffett lives in an average house in a neighborhood next to the one that I grew up in(In Omaha Nebraska). I don't think he has Aspergers. A girl I went to school with lived next door to him, and said that he is just like anyone else.

Soo... not all peopl flipping collect pens and follow the local timetables some people actually intergrate well and don't give a crap about being different and get on with life

I can relate to warren buffet because if he does have it... then we are very similar to some people because we just get on with life instead of sitting on WP LOL I sometimes think some people here are so incredibly narrow in the fact some aspies me being one of them hang out with normal people drink, play poke, play games and I am reletivly successful and a socialite does that make me less aspie than the next guy, no it just means I can control myself and as some people put it here 'fake it '

I can't say anything about Warren Buffet. I'm not even entirely sure who he is, let alone whether he's an aspie or not. But I think aspies can have social connections. In fact, I come to WP and see that there are plenty of aspies with social connections right here.


Conversely, I'm not entirely convinced that I'm on the spectrum enough to be diagnosed with AS, and I have ZERO social connections. I mean, I'm married, but I don't know the people my husband knows. I know my mother, but she has no connections to anyone. I've never had anything remotely resembling a social network. My social skills aren't bad; in fact I do quite well with a certain type of person (ie, people who "get" me. I'm at a total loss with people who don't "get" me, however.)