never ask the barber if you need a haircut

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Attributed to Daniel S. Greenberg, who wrote “Don’t ask the barber whether you need a haircut” in the November 1972 issue of the Saturday Review, popularizing the saying. It was made more famous by Warren Buffet in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.

Proverb[edit]

never ask the barber if you need a haircut

  1. Do not seek advice from a biased party.
    • 2013, Philip Theibert, Potato Chip Economics [] , John Hunt Publishing, →ISBN:
      You never ask the barber if you need a haircut. What do you think he will say? So corn farmers tell Congress that ethanol is good and will help stop the greenhouse effect and make cars run smoother and we will all be in energy heaven if we listen to them.