This essay reflects on Warren Buffett’s wisdom, inspired by his rule of never taking heavy positions in companies that might surprise him. The author argues that Buffett’s extraordinary longevity grants him unparalleled insight, making him a sage among “summer insects” who cannot comprehend ice. Cognitive blind spots, shaped more by objective conditions than intelligence, silently constrain our judgment. Buffett’s charity lunches are reframed as transactions for life-extendin