Bukowski cuts through the self-help platitude of "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" by insisting that survival itself is morally neutral—what counts is your *bearing* during hardship, the dignity and presence you maintain when circumstances strip everything else away. A person might endure bankruptcy, illness, or heartbreak, but if they emerge bitter and diminished, they've failed his test; another might face the same fire and emerge curious about what they've learned. Watch someone lose a job: one person becomes defensive and resentful, while another stays open-minded about what's next—that difference in *how* they walk is exactly what Bukowski means.