WSJ columnist Jason Zweig and I tackle how to be a smarter investor, filtering out the noise, and why philosophy and history matter.
Now available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript
On this episode, I have Jason Zweig.
Jason writes The Intelligent Investor column for the Wall Street Journal. He has also written books likeYour Money and Your Brain, The Little Book of Safe Money, and taken part in revised editions of the cult classic The Intelligent Investor.
He’s got a new book coming out called The Devil’s Financial Dictionary, which we’ll talk about. Jason is an extraordinary person who offers historical perspectives on today’s seemingly important financial news.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
- The hilarious way he describes his job to people (but hopes his editor doesn’t hear)
- The serendipitous way he fell into financial writing and how he knew it was what he wanted to do as a career
- Why he adds a philosophical and historical view to his columns (and what difference he hopes it makes to his readers)
- The two tips Jason offers to be better at filtering the BS from the relentless flow of information that fill our newsfeeds
- The firm reading rule Jason has made for himself and committed to never break
- How the idea for his new book The Devil’s FInancial Dictionary came about and what he wanted to accomplish by writing it
- What strategies the average investor should be using to get the best return on their money (and the surprising advice he gives to those who aren’t sure)
- The two questions every investor would be wise to ask before jumping on a hot stock tip
- The single most important character trait of a successful investor (and how to know if you have it)
If you want to elevate your financial IQ, there are few people out there as helpful as Jason. There’s so much great wisdom in this interview, I think you’ll really enjoy it.
Books
As you can tell Jason is a prolific reader. These books were mentioned in the interview.
- Ambrose Bierce, Civil War Stories
- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
- Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor
- Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
- H. L. Mencken, A Mencken Chrestomathy
- Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays
- Bertrand Russell, Sceptical Essays
- Arthur Schopenhauer, The Wisdom of Life
- Fred Schwed, Where Are The Customers’ Yachts?
- Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel
- Jason Zweig, The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
