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Forum » Why are all the great writers alcoholics?
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Thread: Why are all the great writers alcoholics?

post 1629317953 01-21-2021, 10:28 PM
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Why are all the great writers alcoholics?

Hemingway, Faulkner, Bukowski, Thompson, etc...
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post 1629318003 01-21-2021, 10:28 PM
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post 1629318093 01-21-2021, 10:31 PM
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Civilization begins with distillation
post 1629320953 01-21-2021, 11:25 PM
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Bump
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post 1629326413 01-22-2021, 01:53 AM
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Can confirm, I guess?
Damn
post 1629326443 01-22-2021, 01:55 AM
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JK Rowling, Dr Seuss... not alcoholics
post 1629326623 01-22-2021, 01:59 AM
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Originally Posted By Sophus⏩
JK Rowling, Dr Seuss... not alcoholics
He meant adult books brah


Edit: LOL wow you've really deleted a thousand posts. Don't be one of those guys or I'll have to LOL at you in every single thread

Hey everyone look at this *******!
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post 1629326813 01-22-2021, 02:04 AM
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Originally Posted By 2am⏩
He meant adult books brah


Edit: LOL wow you've really deleted a thousand posts. Don't be one of those guys or I'll have to LOL at you in every single thread

Hey everyone look at this *******!
But what happened to his rep power? You cant delete that can you??
Damn
post 1629326863 01-22-2021, 02:07 AM
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Not all alcoholics are great writers.

O hafd to retypf ythat a few tomgs./
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post 1629326893 01-22-2021, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted By eatliftskate⏩
Hemingway, Faulkner, Bukowski, Thompson, etc...
Not sure. They weren't all that good IN MY OPINION.
post 1629327603 01-22-2021, 02:36 AM
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I guess its like how most of the best comedians are bipolar or have manic depression.

High IQ = High self awareness and more likely to experience anxiety/stress/depression - which would lead to higher self medication (drogs + alcohol)

Stupid people aren't aware theyre stupid and have barely any problems, except for the ones that are self inflicted and even then they have a chip on their shoulder and blame everyone else for their own inadequacies


I've (sadly) come across a lot of very stupid people and they have the ****tiest lives imaginable, but they dont even seem to be aware and live in blissful ignorance.
post 1629327713 01-22-2021, 02:39 AM
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Same reason so many musical artists are junkies. I think depressioncels are blessed with creativity as a sort of redeeming quality. Either that or people who've lived hard, depressing lives develop a greater ability to empathize and express themselves. I wonder if being kind of a recluse has something to do with it as well. If you read about a lot of virtuoso guitarists, for example, you'll see that a lot of them talk about spending like 5 hours a day in their room just playing non-stop. If you have no friends/life outside of your passion, you can devote a lot more time to it. I think it's a combination of those two factors (greater empathy and putting in the hours due to lack of alternatives).
Originally Posted By Casca⏩
O hafd to retypf ythat a few tomgs./
Latverian, is that you?
post 1629328033 01-22-2021, 02:49 AM
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Originally Posted By LordBroly⏩
Same reason so many musical artists are junkies. I think depressioncels are blessed with creativity as a sort of redeeming quality. Either that or people who've lived hard, depressing lives develop a greater ability to empathize and express themselves. I wonder if being kind of a recluse has something to do with it as well. If you read about a lot of virtuoso guitarists, for example, you'll see that a lot of them talk about spending like 5 hours a day in their room just playing non-stop. If you have no friends/life outside of your passion, you can devote a lot more time to it. I think it's a combination of those two factors (greater empathy and putting in the hours due to lack of alternatives).


Latverian, is that you?
Sonny boy, look at my join date. I am not someone else. I was just demonstrating not as drunk.
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post 1629328373 01-22-2021, 03:03 AM
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Everyone should alter their consciousness/brain chemistry every once in awhile, helps keep perspective. People lose sight of their cope. Obviously not to the point of abuse
post 1629328473 01-22-2021, 03:05 AM
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Originally Posted By LordBroly⏩
Same reason so many musical artists are junkies. I think depressioncels are blessed with creativity as a sort of redeeming quality. Either that or people who've lived hard, depressing lives develop a greater ability to empathize and express themselves. I wonder if being kind of a recluse has something to do with it as well. If you read about a lot of virtuoso guitarists, for example, you'll see that a lot of them talk about spending like 5 hours a day in their room just playing non-stop. If you have no friends/life outside of your passion, you can devote a lot more time to it. I think it's a combination of those two factors (greater empathy and putting in the hours due to lack of alternatives).


Latverian, is that you?
Being depressed and having lived a hard life, as stupid as it sounds, I never correlated that to why I can emphasize with people so well. Cool thought bro, I love opening new paths in my mind.

I got really good at guitar, and yes it took a lot of practice, but it wasn't because of a lack of social options. I know a lot of people like me, it's pretty easy to balance.

And to op, being an alcoholic and writer myself, I write my best lyrics when buzzed. Im not sure it has to do with being a drunk, but more to do with that's when my mind opens more, when I'm comfortable.
post 1629328533 01-22-2021, 03:08 AM
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It's not that all the great writers are alcoholics, it's that all the great alcoholics are writers.
post 1629328703 01-22-2021, 03:15 AM
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Originally Posted By stupid000⏩
Being depressed and having lived a hard life, as stupid as it sounds, I never correlated that to why I can emphasize with people so well. Cool thought bro, I love opening new paths in my mind.

I got really good at guitar, and yes it took a lot of practice, but it wasn't because of a lack of social options. I know a lot of people like me, it's pretty easy to balance.

And to op, being an alcoholic and writer myself, I write my best lyrics when buzzed. Im not sure it has to do with being a drunk, but more to do with that's when my mind opens more, when I'm comfortable.
Thanks, brah. I've come across that idea a couple times myself. The rationale, as I understand it, is that since you know what it means to suffer, you are able extend a certain level of patience and understanding to others that you encounter. I guess because you know how terrible it is to be down/depressed/lonely so you try to help others who are in the same situation.

I didn't mean that lack of social options is the only reason that people become great at guitar (or other artistic pursuits) but I think it contributes. If you have no social opportunities and are lonely, it is easier to become consumed by/obsessed with your hobbies.

As to your last point, check out the video I linked. They make an interesting claim about why depressive types tend to be creative. Basically, depressed people tend to ruminate, and in doing so are able to sit with questions for longer and come up with novel ideas.

Spoiler!
post 1629329283 01-22-2021, 03:36 AM
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Originally Posted By LordBroly⏩
Thanks, brah. I've come across that idea a couple times myself. The rationale, as I understand it, is that since you know what it means to suffer, you are able extend a certain level of patience and understanding to others that you encounter. I guess because you know how terrible it is to be down/depressed/lonely so you try to help others who are in the same situation.

I didn't mean that lack of social options is the only reason that people become great at guitar (or other artistic pursuits) but I think it contributes. If you have no social opportunities and are lonely, it is easier to become consumed by/obsessed with your hobbies.

As to your last point, check out the video I linked. They make an interesting claim about why depressive types tend to be creative. Basically, depressed people tend to ruminate, and in doing so are able to sit with questions for longer and come up with novel ideas.

Spoiler!
I agree 100% with your first paragraph, but it's annoying when people complain about trivial things and focus on them and it seems to consume them. It's already taken control of them though, all you can do is try to help them realize it's not as big of a deal as they think it is and try to find the bigger problem. With most people it's hard though.

I agree with your last point. When I meet a truly depressed person, they usually have a cool output that they put alot of time into, and same with perspectives of the world.

On the same note, once you come to grasp with what you're going through, and why, and the "why's" of might be what caused your chemical imbalance, you do sit and analyze things, and ask questions. It's a weird thing, but healthy and makes people smarter for actually thinking and realize why the things that are happening to them are happening.

You seem like a smart dude.
post 1629329353 01-22-2021, 03:38 AM
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Originally Posted By gmmvp42⏩
Everyone should alter their consciousness/brain chemistry every once in awhile, helps keep perspective. People lose sight of their cope. Obviously not to the point of abuse
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post 1629330023 01-22-2021, 03:59 AM
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Originally Posted By gmmvp42⏩
Everyone should alter their consciousness/brain chemistry every once in awhile, helps keep perspective. People lose sight of their cope. Obviously not to the point of abuse
Yup. It's so easy to lose track of how much you're "on rails" and don't stop to think about how lifeless your day-to-day routine is until you get fukkin high or drunk srs.
post 1629330183 01-22-2021, 04:05 AM
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Originally Posted By ISmokeTooMuch⏩
Yup. It's so easy to lose track of how much you're "on rails" and don't stop to think about how lifeless your day-to-day routine is until you get fukkin high or drunk srs.
Im not a junkie by any means, but sampling different things can make you realize things you wouldn't sober. If you don't abuse certain things, they really can open your mind.

Good post.
post 1629330603 01-22-2021, 04:20 AM
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Write drunk, edit sober -Hemingway

Tons of great writers where not alcoholics though and for many, alcohol was a good thing - it become their doom. It wasn’t good for them, nor their writing. F. Scott Fitzgerald was destroyed by alcohol. Keourac died from eso****eal hemorrhage caused by cirrhosis (basically a liver failure causes by long time alcohol abuse).

I also know, that Kafka and Henry David Thoreau NEVER touched alcohol (not sure of the English word is called for those who abstain from alcohol, but yeah). So yeah, overall I think it’s a myth.
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post 1629331083 01-22-2021, 04:35 AM
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Originally Posted By stupid000⏩
I agree 100% with your first paragraph, but it's annoying when people complain about trivial things and focus on them and it seems to consume them. It's already taken control of them though, all you can do is try to help them realize it's not as big of a deal as they think it is and try to find the bigger problem. With most people it's hard though.

I agree with your last point. When I meet a truly depressed person, they usually have a cool output that they put alot of time into, and same with perspectives of the world.

On the same note, once you come to grasp with what you're going through, and why, and the "why's" of might be what caused your chemical imbalance, you do sit and analyze things, and ask questions. It's a weird thing, but healthy and makes people smarter for actually thinking and realize why the things that are happening to them are happening.

You seem like a smart dude.
I definitely think that having experienced certain hardships gives you perspective that many others, particularly young people, lack.

Yeah, totally agree with the ruminating part. It can lead to some sort of enlightenment since it's basically like meditation in a way. I find that I spend a lot of time wondering how things came to be, and every now and again I get some sort of breakthrough that gives me a slightly better understanding of myself. There's definitely a lot of value in introspection.

And thanks, bro. I really appreciate the kind words.
Originally Posted By Brosnbroccoli⏩
Write drunk, edit sober -Hemingway

Tons of great writers where not alcoholics though and for many, alcohol was a good thing - it become their doom. It wasn’t good for them, nor their writing. F. Scott Fitzgerald was destroyed by alcohol. Keourac died from eso****eal hemorrhage caused by cirrhosis (basically a liver failure causes by long time alcohol abuse).

I also know, that Kafka and Henry David Thoreau NEVER touched alcohol (not sure of the English word is called for those who abstain from alcohol, but yeah). So yeah, overall I think it’s a myth.
Interesting, didn't know that about Thoreau and Kafka. I can see it for HDT, though. He seems like the type who was very into living naturally and in the moment, if that makes sense. The kind of guy I would imagine would say that alcohol clouds judgment and prevents you from experiencing things firsthand. That's the impression I get of him.

I think the word for someone who doesn't drink is "teetotal".
post 1629332253 01-22-2021, 05:09 AM
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Troubled people have a story to tell and the urge to tell the world.
Troubled people also often go for drugs and alcohol to make it through the day.
post 1629332673 01-22-2021, 05:20 AM
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Originally Posted By I3igAl⏩
Troubled people have a story to tell and the urge to tell the world.
Troubled people also often go for drugs and alcohol to make it.
It's funny you think that.

Troubled people do have a story to tell, just like everyone. Everyone has gone through hardship. It's part of being human.

I don't think troubled people go to substances to make it, some of us are just stronger mentally in different ways. Just like different outlets help us cope in different ways. Just don't let it control you.

And if that outlet being alcohol or something else helps you be creative or feel better, who cares if it makes you feel better and helps you?

I have a lot of views on this so please don't try to argue my point on that cause I don't care to.
post 1629355823 01-22-2021, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted By iputyouatapoint⏩
Not sure. They weren't all that good IN MY OPINION.
Are you serious m8
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post 1629355943 01-22-2021, 11:01 AM
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Originally Posted By Brosnbroccoli⏩
I also know, that Kafka and Henry David Thoreau NEVER touched alcohol (not sure of the English word is called for those who abstain from alcohol, but yeah). So yeah, overall I think it’s a myth.
the english word is homosexual.

nah jk but both those dudes were queers coincidentally. hdt wanted to get bottom out at walden dead srs.
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post 1629357973 01-22-2021, 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted By Brosnbroccoli⏩
I also know, that Kafka and Henry David Thoreau NEVER touched alcohol (not sure of theEnglish word is called for those who abstain from alcohol, but yeah). So yeah, overall I think it’s a myth.
Teetotaler is the English term for it. They use other words in other countries though. Pioneer in Ireland for example.
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post 1629358493 01-22-2021, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted By Brosnbroccoli⏩
Write drunk, edit sober -Hemingway
Great quote
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post 1629358733 01-22-2021, 11:37 AM
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I think there was just a culture of alcohol during those times. For instance, soldiers had brandy or whatever as one of their rations.

In some other weird way, I think there's a weird productivity when you are at the right level of being drunk or buzzed. You actually want to do things and maybe these guys channeled it into writing.

Having said that, I've read some of the semi autobiographical books of William S. Burroughs and wondered how he ever got any writing done since he was always trying to get high, drinking or going after male prostitutes, lol.
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