I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of suicide. I can never look at a lake or an ocean without thinking of suicide.
Charles BukowskiRead
It’s not so much that nothing means anything but more that it keeps meaning nothing. there’s no release, just gurus and self- appointed gods and hucksters. the more people say, the less there is to say. even the best books are dry sawdust.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects a sense of disillusionment with the meaninglessness found in modern discourse and literature.
Charles Bukowski's quote captures a sentiment of frustration with the superficiality and emptiness he perceives in society's conversations and literary works. He suggests that despite the abundance of words and philosophies offered by various figures, the essence of meaning is diminishing, leading to a cycle where more is said but less is genuinely conveyed. This commentary critiques the pretentiousness found in both self-proclaimed gurus and the broader cultural landscape.
Themes
MeaninglessnessDisillusionmentPhilosophySocietyCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical debate discussing the significance of modern literature.
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To experience real agony is something hard to write about, impossible to understand while it grips you; you're frightened out of your wits, can’t sit still, move, or even go decently insane.
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I lapsed into my pathetic cut-off period. Often with humans, both good and bad, my senses simply shut off, they get tired, I give up. I am polite. I nod. I pretend to understand because I don’t want anybody to be hurt. That is the one weakness that has lead me into the most trouble. Trying to be kind to others I often get my soul shredded into a kind of spiritual pasta. No matter. My brain shuts off. I listen. I respond. And they are too dumb to know that I am not there.
Charles BukowskiRead
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