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
Sexual intercourse is kicking death in the ass while singing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that engaging in sexual acts can be a powerful affirmation of life in the face of mortality.
Charles Bukowski's quote metaphorically compares sexual intercourse to a rebellious act against the inevitability of death. It conveys the idea that the primal and passionate act of intimacy is not just a physical connection but also an assertion of vitality, joy, and resistance against the grim realities of life. By using vivid imagery, Bukowski highlights the intensity of the experience and its ability to evoke a celebratory attitude toward existence, despite the shadows of mortality.
Themes
SexualLifeDeathIntimacyBukowskiRebellion
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a discussion on the importance of embracing life experiences when confronting challenges.
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The masses are always wrong...Wisdom is doing everything the crowd does not do. All you do is reverse the totality of their learning and you have the heaven they're looking for.
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I'm going to open another vottle. not a vottle, but a bottle. you open it and I'll drink it. and you try to write as much as I did without falling off of your chair.
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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, canβt 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 donβt 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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