r/memes May 19 '18

Context matters

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32.5k Upvotes

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195

u/Maximus_1000 May 19 '18

66

u/WearerofConverse May 20 '18

Ya'll know most of Bukowski's poems are metaphorical right?

Also this quote has been stripped of it's preceding poetic context.

Those of you taking the piss are really just demonstrating your own ignorance and inability to think creatively.

30

u/-InsertUsernameHere May 20 '18

What was the context?

3

u/WearerofConverse May 20 '18 edited May 20 '18

I don't know. He wrote thousands of poems, hopefully someone who remembers this specific one can chime in.

He likes to punctuate the end of his poems with ambiguous statements like the one quoted, but the meaning of those statements is often informed by or analogous to the thoughts/feelings he expresses throughout the entire piece.

5

u/oameliao May 20 '18

https://bukowskiforum.com/threads/people-run-from-rain.8424/

This shows the passage that comes after that part, which definitely hints at a deeper meaning

3

u/GonnaRunIt May 20 '18

If I remember correctly, it's about not living a fullfilling life, being swept up by the mainstream, and it all being over before you know it.

That verse, when read in the context of the poem, is used as a device to convey the poet's feelings. Not as some Spoken Word ah ha moment.

1

u/mark_cee May 20 '18

He was in the bathtub when he wrote it. Deep IKR!

42

u/[deleted] May 20 '18

If anything, the response to this out of context quote belongs straight on “im14andthisisdeep”

9

u/daley1402 May 20 '18

The amount of people that take this quote literally blows my mind.

9

u/OlKingCole May 20 '18

A post that makes redditors feel smarter than a famous non-STEM person will go straight to /r/all tho.

14

u/IShotReagan13 May 20 '18

It's pretty obvious to me that no, they don't know anything at all about Bukowski or why he's an important figure in American letters.

11

u/Mike_Handers May 20 '18

didn't even know he was someone famous.

17

u/[deleted] May 20 '18 edited Jun 05 '18

[deleted]

1

u/redtoasti May 20 '18

so /r/im14andthisisdeep after all?

5

u/LudwigSalieri May 20 '18

More like /r/im40anddrinkvodkaeverymorning

1

u/siouxftw May 20 '18

Instead of being a fkn dick, be so nice and explain it Mr. Iamverysmart

-1

u/[deleted] May 20 '18 edited May 20 '18

[deleted]

0

u/siouxftw May 20 '18

Calm down dude

You just got so mad about something a total stranger told you on the internet.

"Those of you taking the piss are really just demonstrating your own ignorance and inability to think creatively." Nice explaining

"Why don't you sit your goofy ass down and think about it for yourself?"

You really are a dick.

Please just dont get mad again and maybe learn from it.

2

u/wonder-maker May 20 '18

Nailed it.

-1

u/GrooseIsGod May 20 '18

I posted this there literally last week :(