--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: your best men are drunks and your worst…" description: "\"“your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking them up, your best men are killers and your worst men are selling them bullets”\" — Charles Buk..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg" --- # your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking… ![“your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking them up, your best men are killers and your worst men are selling them bullets” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg) > ““your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking them up, your best men are killers and your worst men are selling them bullets”” [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. The quote contrasts the paradox of society’s treatment of people, praising those who indulge in vices while condemning those who enforce order or profit from violence. **In simple terms:** Society rewards bad behavior, punishes good. Key Takeaway Question the moral double standards around you. Themes hypocrisy justice power morality violence Mood cynical provocative reflective Type critical political social When to use this quote - prison reform - drug policy - gun control - law enforcement - media narratives Key Concepts social critique paradox ethical relativism Questions to Reflect On - What double standards do you see in your community? - How can we balance accountability with compassion? A Different Perspective It oversimplifies complex issues and may ignore systemic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1965](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1965-432/) [Drunks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunks/) [Drunks Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunks-worst-3644113/) [Men Drunks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-drunks-3427958/) [Men Killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-killers-3644114/) [Worst Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-men-453380/) [Wry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wry/) ## Related quotes > [It isn't chic for women to be drunk. Men drunks are more excusable, more easily absolved, but why? It must be thought they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-isn-t-chic-for-women-to-be-drunk-men-drunks-are-more-excusable/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The worst men have the best jobs the best men have the worst jobs or are unemployed or locked in madhouses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-worst-men-have-the-best-jobs-the-best-men-have-the-worst-jobs-or/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Kelley also marked 1965 as a turning point for another profound reason. That year, he discovered the work of author Ayn Rand. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-galian/kelley-also-marked-1965-as-a-turning-point-for-another-profound/) [Laurence Galian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-galian/) > [“Its powers?' Dallben answered with a sad smile. 'My dear boy, this is a bit of metal hammered into a rather unattractive shape; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/its-powers-dallben-answered-with-a-sad-smile-my-dear-boy-this-is-a/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Until the thirst for power parched his throat, he was a fearless and noble lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/until-the-thirst-for-power-parched-his-throat-he-was-a-fearless-and/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [the last cigarettes are smoked, the loaves are sliced, and lest this be taken for wry sorrow, drown the spider in wine. you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-last-cigarettes-are-smoked-the-loaves-are-sliced-and-lest-this-be/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“She said, A king is the best and worst of men. Of course. Of course. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-anthony-durham/she-said-a-king-is-the-best-and-worst-of-men-of-course-of-course/) [David Anthony Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-anthony-durham/) > [“The best men tell you the truth because they think you can take it; the worst men either try to preserve you in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-otto/the-best-men-tell-you-the-truth-because-they-think-you-can-take-it/) [Whitney Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-otto/) > [“The worst of men generally have the words rogue and villain most in their mouths, as the lowest of all wretches are the aptest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-worst-of-men-generally-have-the-words-rogue-and-villain-most-in/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [There is nothing so revered yet so reviled as war; for even as it brings out the worst in men, it also brings out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-lowe/there-is-nothing-so-revered-yet-so-reviled-as-war-for-even-as-it/) [Neil Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-lowe/) > [“Let not the worst of men be found worse than they really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lawson/let-not-the-worst-of-men-be-found-worse-than-they-really-are/) [George Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lawson/) > [The worst men often give the best advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-worst-men-often-give-the-best-advice/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [ Like the crow among mankind are the Zanj \[African Blacks\] for they are the worst of men and the most vicious of creatures in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jahiz/like-the-crow-among-mankind-are-the-zanj-african-blacks-for-they-are/) [Al-Jahiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jahiz/) > [“Oh, you men of small pleasure and enterprise, oblivious to your purpose, fault-finding, avaricious and sinful, who cannot live without women and cannot enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/oh-you-men-of-small-pleasure-and-enterprise-oblivious-to-your-purpose/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“even the worst men wanted to be perceived as better than they were. How else could hypocrisy have risen to such delirious levels?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/even-the-worst-men-wanted-to-be-perceived-as-better-than-they-were/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) ## 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. 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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 1965 quotes > [“Until the thirst for power parched his throat, he was a fearless and noble lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/until-the-thirst-for-power-parched-his-throat-he-was-a-fearless-and/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Its powers?' Dallben answered with a sad smile. 'My dear boy, this is a bit of metal hammered into a rather unattractive shape; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/its-powers-dallben-answered-with-a-sad-smile-my-dear-boy-this-is-a/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [“Kelley also marked 1965 as a turning point for another profound reason. That year, he discovered the work of author Ayn Rand. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-galian/kelley-also-marked-1965-as-a-turning-point-for-another-profound/) [Laurence Galian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-galian/) [Browse all 4 1965 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1965-432/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking them up, your best men are killers and your worst men are selling them bullets”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst-men-are-locking-them-up-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "1965" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst-men-are-locking-them-up-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/charles-bukowski-73_1965_your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst_408018.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“your best men are drunks and your worst men are locking them up, your best men are killers and your worst…” — 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": "“your best men are drunks and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst-men-are-locking-them-up-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/your-best-men-are-drunks-and-your-worst-men-are-locking-them-up-your/#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 } } ] } ```