I grew up involved in activities that are now called action sports. Many of the writers on the subject had a strange affinity with Bukowski. It permeated the culture, and for a few people, this was their high brow reading.

Now, I’m not saying that Bukowski can’t be highbrow. The language change and growth in “Ham on Rye” is certainly worth discussing, but making Bukowski the pinnacle seems to be a weird choice.

It certainly fits with the toxic male persona that many action sports had, even if they tried to hide by saying we were all creative. It may have been another reason why there were hardly any women involved in these sports until recently.

The printed media has disappeared in these sports pretty much. It’s all gone online, and with it, so to have the writers who loved Bukowski. Is this one of those coincidences, or is it a changing of attitudes.
Who knows, I’m just pondering?