Did Bukowski Vote? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter CRBSMILE
- Start date
I was unable to find any quotes, but from everything I've read, I would say "absolutely not."
Then again, everything I've read may be closer to his alter-ego, and we know how he warped things when he felt in the mood. But I would still suspect "no."
I'm sure a few here could cite some more concrete reasons why.
Edited to add:
For the most part, Buk's works were very a-political, which is pretty amazing given the vast output he had and the times in which he lived. He did have some musings in Notes of a Dirty... about the assassinations in the '60s and certainly his words suggest a sympathy with the Democrats over the Republicans, and that was Buk, not Chinaski, but still, he seemed to eschew all things political, even if he might have had, given his work history, a leaning toward the democrats of his day.
It is notable, however, that when he made it and had a nice house, a BMW and was living no longer day-to-day, that he didn't really have much to say about politics after that. One could only wonder if he had any beliefs about it that may have changed after becoming a "richer" person. I've wondered about that; but not very much.
Then again, everything I've read may be closer to his alter-ego, and we know how he warped things when he felt in the mood. But I would still suspect "no."
I'm sure a few here could cite some more concrete reasons why.
Edited to add:
For the most part, Buk's works were very a-political, which is pretty amazing given the vast output he had and the times in which he lived. He did have some musings in Notes of a Dirty... about the assassinations in the '60s and certainly his words suggest a sympathy with the Democrats over the Republicans, and that was Buk, not Chinaski, but still, he seemed to eschew all things political, even if he might have had, given his work history, a leaning toward the democrats of his day.
It is notable, however, that when he made it and had a nice house, a BMW and was living no longer day-to-day, that he didn't really have much to say about politics after that. One could only wonder if he had any beliefs about it that may have changed after becoming a "richer" person. I've wondered about that; but not very much.
I think, he would say something like this: "I despise conservatives, I despise liberals."
However it's not hard to assume that, if he voted, he wouldn't ever vote Republican.
However it's not hard to assume that, if he voted, he wouldn't ever vote Republican.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Bukowski voted once in his life. For Clinton in 1992....
Bill
Bill
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Really? Well... both certainly enjoyed the ladies.
I find it funny that he decided to do it so far along in his life. But then again, he started REALLY writing in his 30s so it does follow suit.
I find it funny that he decided to do it so far along in his life. But then again, he started REALLY writing in his 30s so it does follow suit.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Hi,
(I'll say first that I am not trying to take this political)
I think that Buk would have been inspired by someone like Clinton, who came from a middle class background (dirt poor by presidential standards) to raise to the heights of his calling. Someone like Kennedy would not have appealed to him as much as he was a blue-blood aristocrat (nothing against Kennedy, but he certainly was born worth more money than most of us will ever make in our lifetimes). Same, of course with Roosevelt and many of the other presidents, but really the three biggest aristocrats (during Bukowski's life) would have had to have been Roosevelt, Kennedy and GHW Bush, so with Clinton coming in at the time that he did, it is not hard to see why buk would have had a connection to him that he had with no other politician.
There are very few politicians who started with little and were able to make it anyway, despite the fact that most people come into the presidency already fabulously wealthy and many of them were born that way, as were their parents and grandparents.
I can see how a guy who lived so poor for so long, only to have finally made it to the point that he was comfortable in his finances would be inspired by a self made man like Clinton.
Also, it should be mentioned that Clinton's adopted father was reported to be physically abusive, much like Buk's father (although I'm not sure that Buk would have known that).
Bill
(I'll say first that I am not trying to take this political)
I think that Buk would have been inspired by someone like Clinton, who came from a middle class background (dirt poor by presidential standards) to raise to the heights of his calling. Someone like Kennedy would not have appealed to him as much as he was a blue-blood aristocrat (nothing against Kennedy, but he certainly was born worth more money than most of us will ever make in our lifetimes). Same, of course with Roosevelt and many of the other presidents, but really the three biggest aristocrats (during Bukowski's life) would have had to have been Roosevelt, Kennedy and GHW Bush, so with Clinton coming in at the time that he did, it is not hard to see why buk would have had a connection to him that he had with no other politician.
There are very few politicians who started with little and were able to make it anyway, despite the fact that most people come into the presidency already fabulously wealthy and many of them were born that way, as were their parents and grandparents.
I can see how a guy who lived so poor for so long, only to have finally made it to the point that he was comfortable in his finances would be inspired by a self made man like Clinton.
Also, it should be mentioned that Clinton's adopted father was reported to be physically abusive, much like Buk's father (although I'm not sure that Buk would have known that).
Bill
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
All information that is new to me. I was only 10 years old when he was elected so my knowledge of anything beyond Monica-Gate is limited.
Those are certainly some good parallels and some good points about why Buk might not have liked other politicians. Well... a small reason\number of reasons why. I'm sure they were many and varied.
Those are certainly some good parallels and some good points about why Buk might not have liked other politicians. Well... a small reason\number of reasons why. I'm sure they were many and varied.
Good Mornin', thanks to all that replied. After I posted the question last night I thought about how unlikely it really was that he would have cared to much about it. I find the Clinton conection fascinating and it makes good sense that Bukowski would have felt a kind of affinity there. Very interesting. Thanks. CRB
mjp
Founding member
He had a couple versions of this title; and I still don't vote, and I remember reading it in at least one other poem or story. So he made it clear that he felt that voting and politics was a zero sum game. That stuff was written well before the Clinton years though.
Here's an great quote from him that doesn't really say whether or not he participated in the process but it definitely sheds some light on what he thought about it.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting."
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting."
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LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Is that one of the various unsourced quotes flying around the interwebz? Google has a lot of hits, but I didn't see anything that actually states where it comes from.
Perhaps someone can shed some light on this. Cuz I can't. Mainly because I only clicked the first ten links before giving it all up.
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Yeah, I've also seen that one before, but I've only seen it on the quote pages.
Here's another interesting one on the subject of politics:
"Before you kill something make sure you have something better to replace it with; something better than political opportunist slamming hate horse shit in the public park."
