# Authority explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The poem critiques blind adherence to authority, attacking those who accept opinions without question and worship figures like 'Dabster' simply because they wrote a book. It warns that true persuasion is futile against such minds, and that posthumous fame is often misappropriated and distorted by followers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The poem attacks the hypocrisy of those who parrot authority figures without genuine understanding, corrupting the pursuit of truth.

### Art and Criticism

Highlights the tension between original thought and the misappropriation of creative work by unthinking followers.

## Key lines

> The fools who take opinion ready-made And 'recognize authorities.'

People who uncritically accept pre-packaged opinions and defer to supposed experts.

_Condemns intellectual laziness and blind deference to authority._

> But write it down, Publish and die and get a great renown— Faith! how they'll snap it up, misread, misquote, Swear that they had a hand in all you wrote, And ride your fame like monkeys on a goat!

If you publish your work and die, your fame will be seized by others who will distort your ideas and claim credit for your achievements.

_Satirizes how posthumous reputation is often exploited and corrupted by followers._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/authority
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters