As Warren Buffett announces his retirement, WSJ’s Jason Zweig hails him as irreplaceable. But Reddit users had other ideas—some grateful, others outraged. This is the digital town hall of Buffett’s legacy.
Nancy Richardson
Digital Worldwide News
Ma 5, 2025
On May 3, 2025, Warren Buffett announced his retirement as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old billionaire and world-renowned investor is stepping away after shaping global finance for more than six decades. In response, The Wall Street Journal published a reflective op-ed titled “Why There Will Never Be Another Warren Buffett,” penned by longtime columnist Jason Zweig.
In it, Zweig outlines three reasons why Buffett is unrepeatable: his personality, the period in which he thrived, and the package—the Berkshire Hathaway holding company—as a vehicle for his philosophy. It’s a thoughtful piece. But the real fireworks began when Reddit got involved.
Within hours, r/investing—home to over 2 million amateur and professional investors—lit up with reactions. The discussion thread, started by user u/korstocks, linked to the article and quoted large portions of it. But what followed was no polite book club discussion. Instead, it became a microcosm of how a new generation views legacy, wealth, capitalism, and even truth.
This is a story about Warren Buffett. But it’s also a story about the people watching him leave—some with reverence, some with suspicion, and many with memes.
Redditor Ebisure offered what appeared to be the moral center of the thread:
“Reading the comments here critical of Buffett’s investing skills or his charitable acts is disheartening… You could create value for everyone, live an honest scandal-free life and donate $100+ billion to charity, and still people are gonna make up reasons to hate you. On the other hand, you can be a consummate grifter like Elon, and still people will find reason to love you.”
The comment gained traction, resonating with readers nostalgic for Buffett’s clean, calm persona in a world increasingly dominated by volatile tech billionaires. But the applause was short-lived.
From that point on, the comment section spiraled in different directions—many of them surprisingly cynical.
Zerkron: “True, there will never be someone else as lucky as Buffett. People think he’s some genius… He just got in early when stocks were dirt cheap… the economy was on turbo mode.”
Others echoed the “lucky not genius” sentiment, linking Buffett’s rise to postwar economic expansion, favorable tax conditions, and pre-algorithmic trading simplicity.
fokkerhawker added: “None of the things you listed are unrepeatable… His real advantage was being an early mover in probably the best time to invest in America.”
Zweig’s argument that “the period” was critical to Buffett’s success finds unexpected agreement here—though stripped of the admiration the original article conveyed.
Inevitably, Reddit’s irony machine kicked in:
Soggy_Stargazer: “People didn’t have autism back then…..OH? You sure about that?”
RichardFlower7 (to a lengthy Buffett defender): “I’m not gonna read this 15 paragraph response… I’m gonna go get brunch with my girlfriend and tell you to gargle my balls.”
These comments aren’t just irreverent—they reflect a broader generational fatigue with pedestal-building. Buffett is not just a man to this demographic; he is a symbol of a system they were promised would work, but often doesn't.
RipComfortable7989 said it plainly:
“If we continue for another SIXTY YEARS to perpetuate a system that allows someone like Buffett to be created, then we’re f**ed as a system.”*
Several comments offered serious insights into why Buffett’s model is unlikely to be repeated—not because of lack of talent, but because of structural shifts in the financial world.
cegras wrote:
“Matt Levine covered the saga of Bill Ackman and his Pershing Square holdings… Ackman is arguably a more modern model: hypervisible, hybrid hedge-public vehicle, fast-moving.”
Others argued that we already have contenders—though maybe not in the mold we’d like:
PenjaminJBlinkerton: “The billionaire that takes his place will be a Gordon Gekko-type shitbag that will put maximization of short-term profits over stability.”
mykesx: “He demonstrated the ability of old people to be excellent at any role in society and business.”
And then there’s britona, who quipped:
“There is. His name is Elon Musk.”
That comment alone drew dozens of angry replies—and no small number of upvotes.