He suggests that trying to fill the void is the real madness. Why chase after people who will inevitably disappoint you? Why shout into the void for an echo? The room doesn't judge you. The whiskey doesn't lie. The typewriter waits.
“Sometimes I am so lonely it makes sense” is the mantra of the realistic nihilist. It is the realization that the universe does not owe you companionship. And once you accept that, you are free. Free to write. Free to drink. Free to watch the roaches race across the floor without a single tear of self-pity. Of course, we are not all Bukowski. Most of us cannot live in that grimy cathedral. We need people. We crave touch. Charles Bukowski A Veces Estoy Tan Solo Que Tiene Sentido
He has moved from lonely (a lack) to alone (a state of being). Bukowski’s genius is realizing that the tipping point between the two is actually a moment of profound, gritty peace. Most self-help books tell you to fight loneliness. Join a club. Download an app. Go for a walk. Bukowski offers a dangerous, addictive alternative: Surrender . He suggests that trying to fill the void is the real madness
