Morals

In Charlie Munger — A Lesson on Elementary Worldly Wisdom, Revisited, “morals” anchors a lesson in human persuasion: appealing to a person’s interest works better than appealing to their morality. Munger’s example is telling a boss not to do something stupid. Saying “what you’re doing is bad, I have better morals than you” offends and backfires — the older person reacts with “who in the hell are you to establish the moral code of the whole world?” Instead, you say “you’re making yourself subject to blackmail. You’re risking your reputation, your family, your money.” That works, Munger notes, and “you’re telling him something that’s true.”

The deeper point is a “powerful psychological principle with deep biological roots”: framing an argument around the listener’s self-interest is more persuasive than moralizing — though Munger adds that needing such methods to get people to behave well is itself a sign you shouldn’t be working for them.

Where this appears

• Charlie Munger — A Lesson on Elementary Worldly Wisdom, Revisited — the passage on persuading through interest rather than moral judgment