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Next step: reading Charles Bukowski and just absolutely not giving a f*ck. I always seen him as the ultimate slacker and hoped some of that energy will trickle down to me when I was being workaholic.

On another note I really liked "How to Be Idle" by Tom Hodgkinson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/623922.How_to_Be_Idle In case you get some guilt feelings.




Is he really a slacker?

To my limited knowledge, "Don't try" is to say do something that you don't need effort to start doing, something that doesn't feel like a chore to you, something that you are passionate about.

He also mentioned going hungry a lot for his passion.

I don't think that someone who perseveres through all that is a slacker, but again, my understanding is limited.


My impression of bukowski is that he was absolutely driven to write, but that he was an incredible slacker at work. That he worked only well enough and hard enough to drink and write (neither being incredibly expensive past times).

So he was motivated, but not by work or the concerns of others. The only reason we know about him is because he chose to write and often semi-autobiographically. There are scores of people who make similar arrangements for music, sport, reading, gardening, child rearing… we just don’t hear from them!


Any favorites from Bukowski to recommend? Always been interested but not sure where to start.


"Factotum" and "Post Office" are both classics and basically on the subject of work.


Factotum and South of No North are two of my favorites.


I would also recommend "Pulp", but it's pretty different from everything else he wrote


You can start from anything, they are similar. Factotum or Post Office... One is enough.


LOL this is some of the cringiest advice I've seen dispensed on HN yet.


Can you elaborate?




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