Bukowski And The Plight Of The 9 To 5

[@carol.fsilva27]

Many people are not happy with their traditional 9-to-5 jobs, especially in big cities. In Brazil, it is common for us to work from 8 to 5 or even from 8 to 6. Why work so hard to enrich a boss who doesn't care about you? Why work long hours when you could be playing with your children? Yes, it sucks to work! Plus, it's never just 9 to 5. There's time for transportation, lunch, emotional preparation and post-work stress. What about the holidays? We just take vacations to de-stress from work and then return to the same cycle. They say that work shapes a person's character, but what nonsense! But what about that coffee you love, who is going to make it, produce it, pack it, export it...? Unfortunately, this is how society works. Where can we escape? - I believe we need to find a balance and discover what makes sense for us. It's time to get off autopilot and choose paths that really matter to us. Self-knowledge is the key! We need to understand that our jobs do not define who we are. No job will motivate you or welcome you every day with a hug. Employment does not always need to have a purpose; It's just a way to make money to achieve our goals. But do we really know what our goals are? Where do we want to go? Who do we want to become? Who do we want to be with? If we don't know how to answer these questions, no job in the world will make sense... we will always be lost without the answers to these questions. We need to wake up at 6 am for ourselves, for our dreams, for the trips we want to take, for the delicious foods we want to try, for the books we want to read, for the person we want to be with at the end of the day... So no matter what you work on, do it with love and dedication. Be present and involved. And remember: YOU ARE BUILDING SOMETHING BIGGER FOR YOURSELF. And for you viewers, why do you work every day? 🐻

[@PoetryInStyle]

Hello! So I pinned that comment because for some reasons it didn't appear in my comment section and I thought you said a lot of interesting things, and wanted all of my viewers to be able to read it. All of the comments were amazing by the way, but I had to do that with that one because it was hidden. Yes, that's completely right, it's often much more than 9-5 and it can suck life out of many people. When I was in Colombia I noticed that many people often worked every day of the week, lived far from their work and took one day off every two weeks. It seemed awful to me. Is it also the case in Brazil? Yes, it's never just 9-5 with the transportation, lunch, emotional preparations,... as you said, I agree. I think work can shape a person's character if the person chooses a good job, but not if the person feels obligated to do that job to survive. Yes, you are right, but here is the thing and that's what I believe, work isn't the problem, the problem is the lack of purpose and real reward behind it. If you go to many coffee shops you may notice lots of jaded staff, but you will also find people who love their jobs. I worked in coffee shops, hotels, restaurants,... I didn't like all of these jobs, but I did some of them, and I didn't go with that feeling of hopelesness. I was in a small village in Colombia, Jardín, near Medellín, and I visited a coffee farm. This man was holding one of the most important jobs in the region. You can clearly get a job and enjoy it. I don't believe the problem with the 9-5 jobs is working, and work isn't a problem in itself, the problem is the lack of soul behind those jobs. Absolutely, I agree with that. Yes, I understand, but here lies the real problem, if we see our jobs only as a way of making money, we need to remember that we spend at least 4-5 days in those jobs, and if we don't like them, we are just waiting for the weekends and living for them, and when Sunday comes we are already thinking about the fact that we need to go back to work the day after. I think it's ok to work just for money for a while, if there is a purpose behind it, but the problem in our society lies in the fact that people only work for money. My example of ancient tribes was meant to show that jobs need to have a real purpose and that jobs nowadays don't have that. That's right. I think another problem lies in the system of education, we have all our childhood and teenage years to answer those questions, yet we need to answer other question that don't interest us. You are right, and if you do that well enough, you can find that purpose in your job too. That's a good question, I hope some people will react to it.

[@MakeYourOwnMind]

I get up every day so that I can enjoy time with my family. Going on trips, trying new foods, even books (though I love them so) are shallow experiences compared to simply living. If we want coffee, we can all grow some ourselves. There's great reward in doing so, actually. It's better on the environment, our health, our ability to create, etc when we are self-sufficient. I appreciate your passion and that mindset clearly feels very true for you. But it is only one mindset and for some of us, not anywhere near the direction we are interested in going. Society can work in a great number of ways. It did for our ancestors. They were able to have much deeper relationships with their families and neighbors. They didn't ship their kids off to daycare to spend time with untrained strangers and schools to be manipulated into fitting a box society deems best, only to lose their ability to relate to their own families, growing distant and disillusioned. They didn't spend more time and have deeper relationships with their boss and coworkers than their own spouse. You can look at the world pre-Industrial Revolution and see that it is true. The architecture, literature, adventures, relationships, and so forth were significantly better than what can be produced today in how this particular version of society works. When I die I would much rather say that I lived and loved well. I want to be full of great memories made with my family and conversations had with my friends. I want to leave a legacy behind of virtue and joy. I want to cherish each day for what it is. That is why I get up every day.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@MakeYourOwnMind I think that's great that you are doing that. We all have different visions of what living life means. When I was living in Amsterdam I would go to a café on my days off, to drink a good latte with a lot of caramel and write poetry, to me that was also living life. We can grow our own coffee if we live in the right countries for that. I think we all have to find out what we want in life. To go back to the subject of the video, the problem with the 9-5 and the current society is that it doesn't leave us much choice and we often end up living unfulfilling lives. That's right, still I think there is still a lot of great art today. I think that's a great goal actually.

[@MakeYourOwnMind]

@@PoetryInStyle Coffee can surprisingly be grown in most climates. It requires different tactics depending on your location but I know of at least one person growing coffee in Montreal and their temperatures can average as cold as -8° c in winter.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@MakeYourOwnMind Oh wow, that's interesting, I didn't know that.

[@ramokhan7997]

Schopenhauer would agree with Bukowski's critique of the 9-5 work routine due to their shared views on life and work. Both criticized materialism, seeing it as a source of suffering. Schopenhauer's philosophy emphasized life's inherent struggles, much like Bukowski's portrayal of the monotony of daily work. They valued artistic expression as a means of transcending life's mundane aspects and emphasized individualism and authenticity over societal conformity. Both were skeptical of social norms, advocating for a life focused on personal fulfillment and creativity rather than material success. Schopenhauer believed that leisure is one of life's greatest blessings, stating, "Leisure is the best of all possessions."

[@PoetryInStyle]

Hello! I've just done some research on Schopenhauer, because I must admit I didn't know him, and it was interesting. Some videos described him as the most famous pessimistic of the world or the darkest philosopher. I think it's interesting to compare the two men, because Shopenhauer really did research and wrote a lot of work to illustrate his points, whereas Bukowski embodied this philosophy and was just telling things "how they are". I read that Shopenhauer said something like "The best way to be happy is to not expect to be happy", and try to live a life with as little suffering as possible. Bukowski was clearly unapologetic in his lifestyle and I can see why we can draw a parallel, also in his famous sentence "Don't try". Thank you for your comment it made me learn something new and that's one of the main reasons why I created that channel.

[@ramokhan7997]

@@PoetryInStyle read this small booklet - web.seducoahuila.gob.mx/biblioweb/upload/the_essays_of_arthur_schopenhauer__the_wisdom_of_life.pdf

[@ramokhan7997]

@@PoetryInStyle Schopenhauer's *"The Wisdom of Life"* shares a lot with Bukowski's critique of the 9-5 grind. Both emphasize that true happiness comes from within, not from material success or societal expectations. Schopenhauer argues that leisure is one of life's greatest blessings, echoing Bukowski's preference for free time and creativity over the daily work routine. Both thinkers criticize the relentless pursuit of wealth, seeing it as a source of suffering, and value individualism over conforming to social norms. Their views align in prioritizing personal fulfillment and inner contentment above all else.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@ramokhan7997 That's interesting, indeed, there is a good parallel to be drawn there. To be honest I didn't have much time to study Schopenhauer in depth, I was trying to understand him and his philosophy as much as possible. I can see that in Bukowski too. I personally believe that working can be extremely rewarding too and that happiness comes from a good balance, a job with a purpose, and good leisure. It is however difficult to achieve that in our society because of the economic pressure, the overall bad education system and the necessity to do a job we don't like or don't understand or care about the purpose, just to be able to survive. I do, however, believe it's possible and that's what we should thrive forward. Now, I'm curious, what's your personal opinion on that? What's your philosophy? Do you agree with Bukowski and Schopenhauer? Or partly? Or completely disagree?

[@ramokhan7997]

@@PoetryInStyle My personal philosophy is a blend of Stoicism, particularly the teachings of Marcus Aurelius, and the insights found in Schopenhauer's "The Wisdom of Life." I believe that true peace is an internal state, unaffected by external circumstances. Possessions, fame, and external achievements do not lead to genuine happiness; in fact, they often create distractions and burdens that can detract from one's inner tranquility. Like the Stoics, I value self-discipline, resilience, and the understanding that our reactions to events shape our experience more than the events themselves. Schopenhauer's emphasis on the futility of worldly pursuits further reinforces my view that contentment comes from within, not from the accumulation of wealth or social status. I would recommend reading *The Wisdom of Life* by Schopenhauer, as it is a beautifully written work. Despite being authored by a philosopher, it is surprisingly accessible and intended for the common reader, making it easier to understand and appreciate.

[@powerfulstardust5012]

Thanks for posting another video and I have to say that i did not know this artist before so i did use your link to get an idea about him myself before watched your video in full. His life reminds me of similar stories concerning famous artist on the line of actors or musicians once they become known. I personally believe that being a famous person (Writer, Musician, Actors or others) necessitates to have self-confidence, integrity and enough personal strength and knowledge to understand that they influence the world of people who follow them or look up to them. Being an artist brings a lot of responsibility with it once he realizes how he affects the world. Bukowski per my understanding has considered his viewpoint and his reality was the ultimate truth. I think it is not a bad thing to have his own reality if one can also take in consideration another person's reality and that without giving up oneself but grow into higher states of understanding.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@powerfulstardust5012 You're very welcome! It's good that you watched the video. Bukowski was a fascinating artist of the 20th century, and says a lot about our culture, so I believe it is important to know who he was and what he stood for. Yes, the thing about Bukowski is that he's always lived that lifestyle, he didn't become a raging alcoholic after he became known, he's been like that since he could do it. That's right, all artists influence the world in greater or smaller degrees, and some of them can make a big difference in our society. Bukowski did so and I believe that it's important to understand what kinds of artists our society support in order to understand the problems of our society. I believe that, whether we like him or not as a poet or person, it is important to understand Bukowski in our current culture, and he will be remembered for a long time. He probably did, or at least he lived by it and was unapologetic for his lifestyle, which was probably one of the other reasons why so many people admire him, they wish they could just live like him, not caring about what the world wants. Now, the truth is that if you completely go against the society, you care about it. A true free spirit doesn't need to reject everything, he understands what's good and what's bad, and doesn't heavily indulge in drugs. It is indeed not a bad thing, as you said, if you can understand other people's realities, but it's good to take into account that your reality can either lead to more destruction and suffering or construction and happiness. In that case we need to choose what kind of realities we want to have in our close circles and what kinds or realities we want to look at from a distance with a curious mindset.

[@powerfulstardust5012]

Hey, thanks for your reply to my comment! Appreciated! I also read through the comments and your replies which are interesting. I like the different point of views about Bukowski.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@powerfulstardust5012 You're welcome! Oh great! Yes, I loved reading the comments too.

[@dylanmetsrocks3833]

This was great, I love your passion about these things. I agree Charles Bukowski had good points that were right but also a lot of things he did were wrong. Thinking of it I remember the way societies tend to shift. When people start feeling the pain of bad parts of the culture of their current society, they yearn for the exact opposite. Case in point is America flip-flopping between their two major parties. It's a herd mentality, and despite there being good things about their culture they lump it all together with the bad and see all of the opposite of it as good. So Charles embodied the opposite of current society, even abandoning what's good about it. But as long as it was against the societal grain he was loved more for what he did. So he was right and wrong, but shouldn't have gotten lost in the sauce and blindly reject all things considered good in our society because there's some genuine sensible ideas about how we live. That's my theory on it after watching this video.

[@PoetryInStyle]

Thank you very much my friend! That's right, we completely agree on that! I think you are completely right and I wouldn't have said it better myself. People tend to go to extremes instead of selecting the good and getting rid of the bad. Indeed, Bukowski made great points, but his attitute towards life in general should never be held as an example to follow. I think Bukowski can be like an alarm clock that shows us that something needs to change in our society though, just like when we start feeling sick because we eat badly, it tells us that we need to change parts of our diet. I think your theory is very good and I'm happy our society still have people like you and me, or my viewers who can see that.

[@hehelol8369]

One must imagine Sisyphus happy.

[@hehelol8369]

Please read 'The Myth of Sisyphus' by Albert Camus, if you haven't already.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@hehelol8369 Hello. I guess you refer to him carrying that boulder to the top of the mountain over and over, which is similar to the 9-5 jobs? Or what did you mean? Anyways, thank you very much for the suggestion, I'm gonna have a look, I do speak French as well so I can read it in its original language, which is even better. Thanks for watching.

[@hehelol8369]

@@PoetryInStyle Yep, it's about general meaningless of life's activities at an universal scale and how to find meaning in such a case. I've read from a few sources that the monotonicity of 9-5 inspired Camus to write that.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@hehelol8369 Oh ok, thank you, that makes a lot of sense, actually. A lot of inspiration can be drawn from the Greek mythology, and a lot of parallel with our modern culture can be made.

[@guythegoth139]

I've never read Bokowski but I've come across his name a few times. I will have to have a look around to see who he is and where to start.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@guythegoth139 I think that would be great actually. Bukowski had a pretty strong influence on a lot of readers and his name is still popular nowadays. Bukowski was pretty vulgar, so his style is a bit difficult to appreciate if you like a more classic style of poetry, but I still think it's interesting because of what he represents. What kind of poetry do you like?

[@guythegoth139]

@@PoetryInStyle I've spent more time with the classic epic poems, primarily due to their length, and their similarities to common narrative storytelling, but I also enjoy random poems here and there from a variety of other times, including modern and post modern. Primarily I'm drawn to evocative written imagery and generally dark themes.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@guythegoth139 Oh great. Yes, I understand, there is indeed a parallel that can be made. Who are some of your favourite poets? I'm trying to discover more and more poets actually and I discovered some via comments already. Ah great, it's nice to expand your horizon as well. I believe many types of poems can express different types of things and it's important to find our voice in this world. Oh yes, I understand that, I have the same, not always dark, but evocative. Normally I enjoy shorter poems, as long as they are well written. I like it when they can evoke strong emotions and images in few words.

[@M15RaphBass]

The 9 til 5 model can be a trapt in itself, if the sole purpose is survival or consumerism. The lack of purpose and ambition and thus, unwillingness to produce and create can turn the light of a being completely off. Supplanted by automaticity, resentment, bitterness and finally apathy. That model can be an useful tool at times, with the right mindset and vision. Like as a transition phase or a stepping stone towards a greater condition. Bukowski embodied that sheer rejection of it all, hence his success as he was resonating with so many . But lost the sight of the bigger picture and drown himself in it.

[@PoetryInStyle]

Absolutely! I have often felt like that in my life and I'm sure many people have felt exactly the same thing, if not solved in the proper way it might create much bigger problems, and I believe that a lot of people who felt those negative emotions found a voice in Bukowski. I agree, I think it's ok to work like that for a while, if there is a bigger purpose behind it, but not lead our whole lives like that. That's right, so we can learn from him and what he represented, but without following his lifestyle.

[@hupertbupkin]

Bukowski used to be one of my great heroes, Ham on Rye made him one of my gods. The greatest icons are reflections.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@hupertbupkin Oh great! It's really amazing when a writer can influence you like that, isn't it? I still have a lot to read from Bukowski, I'm gonna check out that one too. Thank you for your comment.

[@hupertbupkin]

@@PoetryInStyle Please do! Such a great read. Keep up the good work

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@hupertbupkin Oh yes! I tend to read different styles when it comes to novels but I'll have a look. Thanks a lot man, I really appreciate that!

[@MakeYourOwnMind]

I was unfamiliar with Bukowski outside of his name before this video. His thoughts, at least on this topic, remind me of Karl Marx who roughly stated that we are all replaceable in our jobs, and once we are replaced we have nothing to show for it. We have no ownership over ourselves and our lives because we are not the one on top. We do the work, they get the profit. 9 to 5's can provide great sense of security and benefits. It can give purpose to those who don't want to be reliant on themselves for everything. There are a set number of hours and then they go home. This is different than a farmer, let's say, whose whole ability to survive it dependent upon himself and nature cooperating. He may work very long hours for a stretch of time and then have periods of rest. The Industrial Revolution and movements like it have meant the end to so many important parts of being a human. We have so little time to actually live our life because a huge portion of our society, and from a very young age, pushes us to have a career and make lots of money. We are supposed to be successful or we are of low value. Nevermind that humans are made for more than just that. There is a parable about a businessmam and a fisherman that applies here. It goes like this: "An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?” The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.” The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.” The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?” To which the American replied, “15 - 20 years.” “But what then?” Asked the Mexican. The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!” “Millions - then what?” The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

[@PoetryInStyle]

Hey my friend! Thank you very much for your message! I'm glad I mad you discover a new writer. He's got a particular style, often really vulgar, but some of his texts are really great. What you say is really interesting and it's true that the 9-5 give us lots of security, and a farmer doesn't have it, but as you said, our lives are worth much more than that. I think it's possible to find a good balance between the stability those jobs give us and the sense of purpose that we are supposed to find in life. I really like the story with the Mexican Fisherman and the American investment banker, I think it's a good message overall. I would say, however, that investing in large businesses or similar things, can mean much more than job financial security, but a sense of responsibilty and different impact on the world, but it all depends on what we want as individuals.

[@MakeYourOwnMind]

@@PoetryInStyle Your last line is the key. We are individuals. It is normal that we will need and want different things. I think it's important to accept that and show the array of ways that it is possible to live.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@MakeYourOwnMind That's right! And I think it's important in our personal journeys to understand what we want.

[@egx161]

Factotum. Bukowski was correct and drank because he saw and felt life as the absurd exercise that it is. Bukowski was a philosopher poet.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@emiliog.4432 I understand what you are saying. I think it's up to everyone to see how they interpret life and what solutions they find to the "absurdity" of it. Drinking a lot is a life choice, and Bukowski made his by doing that, if you or anybody else want to do the same, it's also your choice. I was also trying to offer another perspective with this video and I believe life can be great and enjoyable, and that, without falling into alcoholism.

[@markwarrensprawson]

Bukowski was a self-destructive person for sure. I think anyone who likes to read and has taken an interest in Bukowski knows that, and I'm not sure anyone who writes themselves gets past 25 trying to emulate Bukowski's lifestyle without realising that it's really not all that great 🤣. Bukowski wrote for the everyman, or rather, the every-human. His popularity springs from that and his unrepentant honesty. That's his appeal to me, at least. I'll mention also, I'm one of those weirdoes who loves esotericism, old occult lore and suchlike, and so, from about 1994 until about 2005, I read the heck out of Aleister Crowley's books. If one reads him voraciously enough (and he wrote A LOT, so that voracity needs to be backed with some determination,) it doesn't take one long to discover that he died a junky and that his entire adult life was soaked through with pharmaceuticals, hallucinogens and so forth. One might think that common sense would prevail and that readers of him would take his life story to have a somewhat precautionary aftertaste. Nevertheless, many of his readers do find themselves following his example down that dark, often and particularly opiate-using path. The tradition that formed around his work, one that's grown quite large in 75-odd years since he passed, even has its own version of the 12-step programme that omits any mention of the Abrahamic god and replaces it with a concept more akin to the influence of the Muse or Muses in one's life (in Thelema, Crowley's legacy movement, referred to as the Holy Guardian Angel.) This is an rather extreme example of readers emulating those they read. If busting up a boozing habit is like cracking a walnut with a leaf, breaking a heroin habit is like cracking a diamond with one. But if there is a trend of Bukowski readers needing to be cautioned against following his example, I would have to start to take it a lot more seriously as a kind of call to action, because as I said, Bukowski wrote a lot of easily-digested literature, even if it was often very anarchic and occasionally vitriolic. I'm sure those familiar with him and his work must be more numerous than those familiar with any such writer as Crowley.

[@PoetryInStyle]

Hello! That's right! That's also why I thought it was interesting to make a video to see what we could learn from Charles Bukowski but also how we should avoid completely following his example. The reason why I became passionate about this subject was because I saw references of Bukowski a bit everywhere. I used to live in Amsterdam and I remember seeing a Bukowski café, I was in Mexico City 3 years ago and there was a Bukowski barber and even a sort of library/restaurant/café in Condesa, where you could eat a Bukowski burger. I also saw many videos on KZbin explaining what we could learn from Bukowski to improve our lives, or such things, and I found it interesting that such a man was used as either an example, or at least an inspiration by many people. I do agree with what you said though, he really talks to the people and he is unapologetic about who he is, and many people who have probably had a hard time finding their place in this society, and I understand this feeling well, find a voice in his work. To be honest I actually had to check out who Alesteir Crowley was after reading your comment, but I appreciated that because, and I explained that in other videos, one of the purposes of that channel is not just to tell you what I know or think (And I don't know that much), but to learn. When I read comments who give me slightly different perspectives, or who agree and add things to what I said, I love it because it makes me learn, and later on I will be able to watch theses videos and see how it helped me grow. So, I didn't know Crowley and I had to check who he was. I can see he had quite a controversial and chaotic life. It's a good example, the thing is, many human beings will follow a self-destructive course no matter how obvious it is that this course is not helping them in the end, maybe because they have no hope left or because they want to experiment things. I think it's fascinating to observe that because those writers and their success and then people replicating their lifestyles show us the problems or our society and what needs to be solved. I do agree with what you said on Bukowski, that's what I wanted to do with this video. There is a reason why he was so succesful and I believe that we can learn a lot about our current society by studying his work and his role in our lives. That's right, but still your example was compelling.

[@markwarrensprawson]

@@PoetryInStyle I'm fairly overwhelmed by your responding to me so kindly, and I am so glad my somewhat nasty habit of going on and on wasn't just a big waste of time for you. Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to your next video, and wish you the best in all things.

[@PoetryInStyle]

@@markwarrensprawson Oh thank you very much, I really appreciate what you said. I understand that, I have the same actually so I know how you feel, but to be honest it's not a nasty habit here on this channel, as long as it's relevant to the subject, and it was, I welcome these long messages, because they open great conversations and make me learn new things, so I thank you for that. Unfortunately KZbin doesn't seem to handle them well all the time, it hid another long comment to me, I will see how I can solve that. Thanks a lot, I was really happy with the number of views on this video and the new subscribers, I hope you will enjoy my next videos, and I also wish you the best in all things.

[@markwarrensprawson]

@@PoetryInStyle I don't know about you, but when I was in my teens, which in my case was before cell phones and internet, I NEVER imagined that the future would involve situations such as the one you describe, where you are unable to access a comment on your own video for what will most probably turn out to be a very silly reason, if it's a reason at all. I remember watching an interview with David Bowie on M-TV around the time he released "Outside" and "Earthling". I'm not sure which it would have been closer to, but it was when he had grown his hair long. The internet came up in that interview and Bowie, in a way very typical to him, at least as I know him to have been, delivered an extremely enthusiastic opinion to the effect that the internet was going to become a sort of global Library of Alexandria and agora all at the same time. This was long before social networking as we know it existed. The journalist interviewing Bowie seemed unconvinced of the enormous level of potential importance that the internet held, while Bowie seemed to see it as the dawn of a sort of new renaissance that could unite humanity on a level hitherto unknown. I always loved Bowie, and I bought into his seemingly unimpeded enthusiasm and positivity around the subject very easily. The idea of bodies of individuals with various agendas assembling to stop the flow of certain information and outlaw conversation around certain issues just did not seem to be a possibility to me at all. That said, I was a pretty idealistic teenager. I believed that my generation and those emerging around us had the solutions to every problem brewing inside our heads, just waiting to explode into the zeitgeist. My entire attitude might simply have been a naïve one. If you have found the time to read this, I would love to know if you managed to find your way around that problem with the long comment you couldn't view or not, and if you did, what it might have been that prevented you from doing so in the first place. Irrespective of whether you ever get around to answering this question, I'd like to again wish you the very best of things going forward. Cheers, man.

[@skyblazeeterno]

I've read books about serial killers and Nazis...it doesn't mean that I'd become them. If anything you can take from Bukowski is that he knew he lucked out managing to have a life as a writer rather than being stuck in a life of humdrum survival. I'm also not seeing why being interested in sex and drinking is some bad example or even self destructive