Identify this quote: (1 Viewer)

[imperfectionist]

Identify this quote: "An intellectual says a simple thing..."

Full quote: "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way; an artist says a hard thing in a simple way."

I've seen this quote attributed to Bukowski on various sites, but can't find where it's from, or even whether it's from poetry, prose, interviews, etc.

I'd like to use it as an opener for an essay, but can't source. I'd prefer a page number, but any point in the right direction is much appreciated!

 

[Ambreen]

Oh I remember this quote ! I think it's in The Captain is out to lunch and the sailors have taken over the ship. Maybe I'm wrong but that's my intuition.

I'm quite confused...

I was leafing through The Captain... and didn't find the quote. Maybe I've missed it.

But there is a paragraph developing the idea expressed in the said quote, where Hank suggests to philosophers to give priority to simplicity.
(date : 9.12.91 ; time : 1.18 am)

Nobody here knows about the quote ?

 

[Socratease]

I am familiar with it but I can't recall the source. I've seen so many films about and read so much of his work lately that it's all merging into the one Bukowski magnum opus in my head.

It may have been said by him in the Buk Tapes?

 

[zobraks]

I feel obligated to resurrect yet another ancient thread.

The original wording of this quote is:

an intellectual is a man who says a simple thing in a difficult way; an artist is a man who says a difficult thing in a simple way.

and it was taken from Notes of a Dirty Old Man (scribblings on shirt cardboards during two day drunk), page 161 in Virgin edition I have.

 

[roni]

He has said this a couple of times (in slight variations).
I think I've listed about 3 or 4 somewhere here. Maybe one day I'll try to find the post.

Edit:
Here it is:
https://bukowskiforum.com/threads/g...hings-simple-way-variations.8022/#post-133003

 

[zobraks]

genius vs. intellectual = 3:1 ;))

 

[roni]

(genius + artist) vs intellectual = 4:1