Yet there was a different and more reflective jazz festival taking place about a thousand miles northwest, at Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) annual shareholder meeting in Omaha. Compounding wealth isn't just financial -- Buffett seemed to imply that the best defense against inflation on the personal level is to make lifelong contributions to the world. When asked about his succession, Buffett didn't focus on the inner workings of the board of directors, or the voting power of the shareholders, or even the strategy of the investment team.