Charles A. Jaffe: Investors Face Risk Always

Posted by admin on Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Charles A. Jaffe Money Quote saying sea mammals face risk when taking specific actions – but investors face risk always. Charles A. Jaffe said:
 

 

“Whales only get harpooned when they come to the surface, and turtles can only move forward when they stick their neck out, but investors face risk, no matter what they do” — Charles A. Jaffe

 

This quote from Charles A. Jaffe is comparing investment risk to the dangers faced by whales and turtles in their natural environments. It notes that whales only face the risk of being harpooned (hunted) when they come up for air at the surface, while turtles can only make progress by extending their neck outward from their shell.

By analogy, Jaffe is suggesting that investors also inevitably face some degree of risk, no matter what approach they take – whether investing actively and exposing themselves to market fluctuations, or remaining on the sidelines without gaining potential returns.

The overall message is that risk is an inherent part of investing, just as environmental threats exist for whales and turtles regardless of their behaviors. There is no completely risk-free path for investors according to this perspective.