We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us. (1 Viewer)

jackgibbs

jackgibbs

I keep seeing this quote all over the internets, attributed on wikiquote but not sourced. can anybody help me? is this from an interview
ir
or something?

"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us."

thank you much
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Someone else asked this question here.

My opinion is still that it is from a letter collected in one of the 3 BSP books, Screams from the Balcony, Living on Luck or Reach for the Sun.

But maybe I'm wrong twice now?
 
i checked the interview in "interview" mag from 1987, but no dice. it's the one where it's just his thoughts on numerous subjects, like bars, women, religion, etc. thought it could have been his thoughts on god, but nope....
 
That's one of the most often cited Bukwoski quotes ever. Sort of his equivalent of Scott Fitzgerald's "There are no second acts in American lives". Funny thing is, I could swear it's a reworking of an observation by H.L. Mencken who, as we know, was one of Fante's editors and Buk drew influence from Fante so ...
 
"some accept the possibility of God to help them get through. others take it straight on. and to these I drink tonight."

(from: 'The finest of the breed' in: 'You get so alone'.)
 
Funny, 12,000+ sites use that quote and not one attribution. That just goes to show you how on the internet you can say whatever you want, put words into anyone's mouth and others will just take it as gospel.

Not saying that's not a Bukowski quote, just making the point.
 
thanks all. I too searched it before remembering smog.net and discovering this forum. the lack of attribution anywhere led me to the same conclusion; that it's probably someone's mishmash of general buk sentiments. like nostradamus or something. but this quote is seriously everywhere.

sorry for not searching before posting. durr me
 
No need to apologize. You came to the right place. If anyone would know the proper attribution for the quote, it would be this group of folks. Someone eventually will dig it up.
 
After spending a half-hour trying to find the source of this, I just tracked this down to Life Magazine, December 1988. An issue devoted to famous people talking about the "meaning of life." So it appears to be a legitimate quotation. It is also used in James A. Haught, 2000 Years of Disbelief, p. 293.
 
Ah-ha - Holiday Bonus : Why are we here? - The Meaning of Life by the Dalai Lama, Garrison Keillor, Willie Nelson, Rosa Parks, Richard Nixon, I. B. Singer, and dozens of wise men and women.'

Thanks David.

myowngod.png


Attachment - cover and article text only:-
 

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  • LIFE MAGAZINE - THE MEANING OF LIFE - DEC 1988.pdf
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It is amazing that this was uncovered 3 years after it was asked with tens of thousands of unattributed quotes. Who else but Bukowski.net could uncover this? That shows you that there is little truth that cannot be discovered and little that can esacpe this forum with amazing researchers like Abel and David...

Amazing.

Bill
 
Hey, thanks Hank for posting! I just had ordered it from Amazon. Guess I'll get it anyway to have as a souvenir, especially with the Presleys
on the cover...
 
Here this is what it had:

writer CHARLES BUKOWSKI
For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stonewritten. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
Click to expand...
Just in case someone else's computer gives them a hard time like mine did I copied the Bukowski quote.
 
For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula, the big answers don’t remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
Click to expand...

LIFE Magazine, THE MEANING OF LIFE: THE BIG PICTURE, December 1988 (Bukowski's quote, above, appears on Page 8)
With the holiday season upon us, LIFE asked some wise men and women to ponder why we are here. Scientists and theologians, authors and artists, celebrities and everyday sages on the street responded. The following "answers," along with the work of seven photographers who captured the meaning of life on a single frame of film, provide a medley of philosophies--personal and at times profound.
 
i apparently, thought i solved a mystery that had already been solved. cheers, then, to one of my favorite quotes by my favorite author and my tattoo that reads "death will tremble to take us" :)
 
For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us
 

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