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
The trouble with these people is that their cities have never been bombed and their mothers have never been told to shut up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that people who have not experienced hardship or trauma often lack understanding or empathy for those who have.
In this quote, Charles Bukowski critiques individuals who live comfortable, sheltered lives, implying that without experiencing significant hardships, such as war or familial conflicts, these individuals may have a limited perspective on the struggles faced by others. The mention of cities being bombed symbolizes the harsh realities of life that some face, while the reference to mothers being told to shut up reflects personal and familial conflicts that can overshadow one's understanding of compassion and empathy. Bukowski is highlighting the need for a broader awareness of societal challenges and the emotional resilience that comes from facing adversity.
Themes
HardshipEmpathyUnderstandingAdversitySuffering
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on resilience, you could use this quote to illustrate the importance of understanding diverse experiences.
More from Charles Bukowski
All quotes →when I am feeling low all i have to do is watch my cats and my courage returns
Charles BukowskiRead
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.
Charles BukowskiRead
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, can’t sit still, move, or even go decently insane.
Charles BukowskiRead
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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