The Genius of the Crowd
there is enough treachery, hatred violence absurdity in the average
human being to supply any given army on any given day
the view comes from Bukowski's every so beautiful pessimism which has been the root of his created wonder. His poetry so hauntingly striking makes for powerful imagery (in the above lines) of the thematic hypocrisy and naivety of human beings.
and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace
In the above lines, Charles entertains the possibility of 'preaching' behaviours of the people through their contrasting fears or capabilities of performing the acts against which they raise their voice. He, as stunning as always, peels the layer of the origination of the necessity to preach a thought, away.
and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace
In the above lines, Charles entertains the possibility of 'preaching' behaviours of the people through their contrasting fears or capabilities of performing the acts against which they raise their voice. He, as stunning as always, peels the layer of the origination of the necessity to preach a thought, away.
those who preach god, need god
those who preach peace do not have peace
those who preach peace do not have love
He reiterates the presence of fear in the determination of someone's publicised beliefs and their internal conflict hinting at the imperfection or distortion in the word they preach.
beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
He warns the proletarian man to beware of the unconventional mindsets which are offered in the society. Further explaining that because of the knowledge of the 'knowers' or 'preachers' better than the public, he wishes to warn the nobleman of what can be looked after and possibly misused.
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
Here Bukowski asks the common man to question everyone who influences his surroundings. Which is why he mentions the 'preachers' which are a juxtaposition for politicians and media. Also, he meddles with the observation of instantaneity inactions of the people who stand in the forefront and yet have hidden agendas behind their acts or words of humanitarian concern. He justifies the need for some censorship by presenting an argument that the censors are afraid of what they do not know, some knowledge on the periphery that may harm them in a possible way.
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average
He talks of duality. He talks of how a person standing tall in the crowds might not be brave on his own. He hints at the nuisance of the human being to 'portray'. He talks of average. He talks of the repercussions of the being 'average' i.e. the fall of expectations.But at the same time, he talks of the grandeur of hate that an average man can harvest.
but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their own
The poet speaks of the wounds that the abstract emotion of the average can inflict. The power and intensity surfacing through his words. He talks of the things that the collective hate is ignorant to, and thereof lacks empathy for. Solitude. He brings to light the critical notion of crowds towards what is indifferent from their society.
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect
Because of the average man lacking the depth, blinded by the hate or opinion towards thoughts which are misfitting to the normal setting, Charles hints that the average man lacks the mind to create art. And because he cannot analyse in depths because of the limits of his own inference, he cannot understand art. The art originated from the faction of misfit thoughts. The average man is critical of those thoughts in entirety. Since they don't understand the thought, the paint that as the failure of the creator to communicate. Charles uses the same underlying approach of the average man towards love as well.
like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock
their finest art
The statement "The finest art" is Bukowski's intended irony for the hatred of the man for something uncanny yet how it, in itself, is art that they are oblivious to.
He compares the sharpness and the grandiose of the common public intent by putting them next to the examples which present similar qualities.
Charles Bukowski
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average
He talks of duality. He talks of how a person standing tall in the crowds might not be brave on his own. He hints at the nuisance of the human being to 'portray'. He talks of average. He talks of the repercussions of the being 'average' i.e. the fall of expectations.But at the same time, he talks of the grandeur of hate that an average man can harvest.
but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their own
The poet speaks of the wounds that the abstract emotion of the average can inflict. The power and intensity surfacing through his words. He talks of the things that the collective hate is ignorant to, and thereof lacks empathy for. Solitude. He brings to light the critical notion of crowds towards what is indifferent from their society.
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect
Because of the average man lacking the depth, blinded by the hate or opinion towards thoughts which are misfitting to the normal setting, Charles hints that the average man lacks the mind to create art. And because he cannot analyse in depths because of the limits of his own inference, he cannot understand art. The art originated from the faction of misfit thoughts. The average man is critical of those thoughts in entirety. Since they don't understand the thought, the paint that as the failure of the creator to communicate. Charles uses the same underlying approach of the average man towards love as well.
like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock
their finest art
The statement "The finest art" is Bukowski's intended irony for the hatred of the man for something uncanny yet how it, in itself, is art that they are oblivious to.
He compares the sharpness and the grandiose of the common public intent by putting them next to the examples which present similar qualities.
Charles Bukowski
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