Who the fuck are you, man - a friend with a cleft asshole?

[Kanantus]

New to dudeism here but loving it (maybe it's the white russian talking) 

I have read The Abide Guide by Oliver B and loved it - far out, man! But one thing puzzles me - in the book he talks about The Dude "digging styles" and how we dudeists should dig most people's style. Now that's marvelous but I'm very busy as I'm sure you are. So my point here is that there are several times in the movie where The Dude doesn't seem to dig a person's style ie. doesn't like that person. Knox Harrington clearly annoys The Dude even if he hasn't actually done anything bad and The Dude isn't too keen on the the dog Walter brings with him bowling either. He also loses it with both Walter and Maude at times.

In other words Oliver B wants us to be open to other people and their different ways and yet The Dude doesn't seem to be an all-loving hippie who gets upset from time to time with other people. My question is: how do you reconcile that conundrum about digging styles and when to dig a style and when NOT to dig a style but instead tell them off by saying they have a cleft asshole?

Fuck it - lets go bowling 

[Dudeist Monk]

The Dude, like all humans, isn't perfect. Everybody has, at various times, been Dudely and sometimes we've been Walter. The trick is to aspire to be more Dudely and only allow our inner Walter out only when it's absolutely necessary.

There is no Yin without Yang. There is no Dude without Walter. Sometimes The Dude can be like Walter. Sometimes Walter can be like The Dude.

[BikerDude]

The dude abides anyone who is powerful.
Jackie Treenhorn despite the fact that his goons shoved his head in a toilet. The Jesus.
The big L.
When someone is less powerful or threatening, Knox Harrington the video artist, Da Fino, Larry Sellers it's a different story.
Food for thought.
Of course he does defend Smokey. So there's that.
Generally speaking slack! Pure slack!
And that is the point I guess? The path of least resistance?
I guess there's wisdom. Just try not to throw up in your mouth a little.

[Kanantus]

Of course he does defend Smokey. So there's that.

Yes, but even that is slightly weird in that Dude doesn't just mark it 8 but rather just hands the pencil over to Smokey. I think the "right" thing to do would be to mark it 8 right from the start but Dude can't decide between his loyalty for Walter and doing the right thing no matter the cost because isn't that what makes a man? 

But I guess in the end this is also why I love El Duderino so much because he is not perfect and often fucks up. But he does seem to give in to people with power (but so do most of us).

[Brother D]

 The dude gives Smokey the pencil because Walter is pointing a gun at his friend, to end the thing cheap so no-one gets hurt.

When to dig someone's style, (or not), is up to the individual. What is acceptable for one, may not be the same for another. Most of us have those friends that are liked by some, but not others and honesty and integrity play a role in maintaining those friendships.

It's like Lennon said; "Being honest might not get you a lot of friends, but it'll get you the right ones".

[Jianblade]

It's like Lennon said; "Being honest might not get you a lot of friends, but it'll get you the right ones".

The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation?

[BikerDude]

Another aspect of the dude character is that he does not generally choose a side.
At least not if it's likely to result in conflict.
IMO that is why he hands the pen to smokey.

The dude just "rolls along like the tumbling tumble weeds".
That's why the song opens the movie.