---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They kept chirping and flipping and…"
description: "\"“They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental assholes.”\" — Charles Bukowski"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg"
---

#  They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental…

![“They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental assholes.” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg)

> ““They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental assholes.””

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A vulgar image of mental fixation, depicting obsessive thoughts as crude, physical actions.

**In simple terms:** Mental fixation described crudely as physical.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and curb obsessive mental habits.

Themes

psychology obsession language vulgarity creativity

Mood

raw provocative

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- creative writing
- self‑reflection

Key Concepts

cognitive distortion self‑awareness artistic expression

Questions to Reflect On

- What triggers your mental fixations?
- How can you transform obsessive thoughts productively?

A Different Perspective

Crude language can alienate audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [“Those pigeons couldn't take us out if they send their entire chirping flock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/those-pigeons-couldn-t-take-us-out-if-they-send-their-entire-chirping/)

[Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/)

> [What I don't like to see is a lot of chirping and guys just talking crap to each other. If you got something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/what-i-don-t-like-to-see-is-a-lot-of-chirping-and-guys-just-talking/)

[Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/)

> [“Oh how lovely to hear the birds!’ an elderly friend recently exclaimed. I smiled, ‘Yes, isn’t it?’ Actually it reminded me of living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-benet/oh-how-lovely-to-hear-the-birds-an-elderly-friend-recently-exclaimed/)

Emily Benet

> [“The reason that animals grazing or birds chirping is so relaxing is because it signals to our subconscious brain systems that everything is safe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shea-matthew-fisher/the-reason-that-animals-grazing-or-birds-chirping-is-so-relaxing-is/)

[Shea Matthew Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shea-matthew-fisher/)

> [I regard sledging, chirping, whatever you want to call it, as one of the weapons at my disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-regard-sledging-chirping-whatever-you-want-to-call-it-as-one-of-the/)

[James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/)

> [Whenever I hear the sparrow chirping, watch the woodpecker chirp, catch a chirping trout, or listen to the sad howl of the chirp rat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-i-hear-the-sparrow-chirping-watch-the-woodpecker-chirp-catch/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [In the morning chirping of birds is a sound of joy and hope, and in the evening of thanks and satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/in-the-morning-chirping-of-birds-is-a-sound-of-joy-and-hope-and-in/)

[Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/)

> [The difference between chirping out of turn and a faux pas depends on what kind of a bar you're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-mizner/the-difference-between-chirping-out-of-turn-and-a-faux-pas-depends-on/)

[Wilson Mizner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-mizner/)

> [“It's funny how we give meaning to the chirping of birds and, in turn, silence human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faiqa-mansab/it-s-funny-how-we-give-meaning-to-the-chirping-of-birds-and-in-turn/)

[Faiqa Mansab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faiqa-mansab/)

> [“R.O.TC. kept me away from sports while the other guys practiced every day. They made the school teams, won their letters and got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/r-o-tc-kept-me-away-from-sports-while-the-other-guys-practiced-every/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“WHAT'S WRONG WITH ASSHOLES, BABY? YOU'VE GOT AN ASSHOLE, I'VE GOT AN ASSHOLE! YOU GO TO THE STORE AND BUY A PORTERHOUSE STEAK, THAT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/what-s-wrong-with-assholes-baby-you-ve-got-an-asshole-i-ve-got-an/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [What's wrong with assholes, baby?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/what-s-wrong-with-assholes-baby/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“And my own affairs were as bad, as dismal, as the day I had been born. The only difference was that now I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/and-my-own-affairs-were-as-bad-as-dismal-as-the-day-i-had-been-born/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [The problem was you had to keep choosing between one evil or another, and no matter what you chose, they sliced a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-problem-was-you-had-to-keep-choosing-between-one-evil-or-another-3/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/)

[Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/)

## More by Charles Bukowski

> [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. A writer who has to go into the streets is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-is-only-one-place-to-write-and-that-is-alone-at-a-typewriter-a/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“nerves twitching in the sheets -- to face the sunlight again, that's clearly trouble. I like the city better when the neon lights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nerves-twitching-in-the-sheets-to-face-the-sunlight-again-that-s/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“I climbed the stairway (there was no elevator) and put the key in. The door swung open. Somebody had changed all the furniture around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-climbed-the-stairway-there-was-no-elevator-and-put-the-key-in-the/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

[Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

## More Assholes quotes

> [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/)

[Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/)

> [Note To Females: You cant blame the entire male genre just because you were attracted to some assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/note-to-females-you-cant-blame-the-entire-male-genre-just-because-you/)

[Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/)

> [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/)

[Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/)

> [“All men are assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-sanchez/all-men-are-assholes/)

[Lisa Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-sanchez/)

> [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/)

[Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/)

> [“Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-konen/half-the-time-people-just-want-to-be-assholes-so-they-call-it/)

[Leah Konen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-konen/)

> [“What a mealy-mouth. Windier than a bag of assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/what-a-mealy-mouth-windier-than-a-bag-of-assholes/)

[Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/)

> [Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/excuses-are-like-assholes-everyone-has-one/)

Author Name

> [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/)

[Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/)

> [Guys annoy me so much -.- it's like they study to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-annoy-me-so-much-it-s-like-they-study-to-be-an-asshole/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“People hate it when you call them on jackassery. That's a big fact of human nature: Not a lot of people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-st-crow/people-hate-it-when-you-call-them-on-jackassery-that-s-a-big-fact-of/)

[Lili St. Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-st-crow/)

> [“Don't you think she's had her quota of assholes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-you-think-she-s-had-her-quota-of-assholes/)

[Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/)

> [Friends are like assholes, everyone's got one but some are more full of shit than other's!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-carrion/friends-are-like-assholes-everyone-s-got-one-but-some-are-more-full/)

Diana Carrion

Browse all 238 Assholes quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental assholes.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Bukowski"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fingering-their-mental-assholes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Assholes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fingering-their-mental-assholes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4e/charles-bukowski-73_assholes_they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fing_2701647.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“They kept chirping and flipping and fingering their mental assholes.” — Charles Bukowski",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Charles Bukowski",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“They kept chirping and flipping and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fingering-their-mental-assholes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/they-kept-chirping-and-flipping-and-fingering-their-mental-assholes/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
