Billionaire investor Warren Buffett made an analogy about business on Monday that was not great.
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In an interview about Kraft Heinz's proposed — and rejected — acquisition of the consumer goods company Unilever, Buffett turned to a misogynist tale as old as time.。

"It reminds me of that old story about the difference between a diplomat and a lady. I don't know whether you've ever heard that or not," the Berkshire Hathaway executive asked CNBC's Becky Quick.。 Business Insider。 Business Insider。

spotted the problematic comment.。

"Well, if a diplomat says yes, he means maybe. If he says maybe, he means no. And if he says no, he's no diplomat," Buffett continued. "And if a lady says no, she means maybe. And if she says maybe, she means yes. And if she says yes, she's no lady. So he [Kraft Heinz chairman Alex Behring] probably got a maybe [from Unilever] and didn't know whether it was coming from a diplomat or a lady, essentially." 。

There are a lot of things wrong with that analogy. First, what about a lady diplomat?Mashable Top StoriesStay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter 。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.。

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Second, if a woman says no, she means no. Buffett's line of thinking is one step removed from those "no means yes and yes means anal" fraternity chants.。

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As billionaires go, Buffett has been a pretty progressive one. He is a committed Democrat and just this weekend seemed to subtly criticize President Donald Trump in a letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. 。

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Buffett has also advocated for women-owned businesses and women executives at his own company. A recent HBO documentary followed how Buffett became one of the most successful investors in history. His company backs Kraft Heinz, which offered $143 billion for Unilever in early February.。

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But even with the best of intentions, it seems the 86-year-old billionaire has internalized — and now spread — some harmful messaging about women and consent along the way.。

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"Old stories" – check them for signs of rape culture before repeating.。"Old stories" – check them for signs of rape culture before repeating.
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