--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and…" description: "\"PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. All that is mortal of a depar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/ambrose-bierce-140_books_platitude-n-the-fundamental-element-and_2238451.jpg" --- # PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of… ![“PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. All that is mortal of a departed truth. A jelly-fish withering on the shore of the sea of thought. A desiccated epigram.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/ambrose-bierce-140_books_platitude-n-the-fundamental-element-and_2238451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/ambrose-bierce-140_books_platitude-n-the-fundamental-element-and_2238451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/ambrose-bierce-140_books_platitude-n-the-fundamental-element-and_2238451.jpg) > “PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. All that is mortal of a departed truth. A jelly-fish withering on the shore of the sea of thought. A desiccated epigram.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Plitudeitude describes the fleeting, decaying brilliance of popular literature, likened to a dying jellyfish. **In simple terms:** Plitude is the hollow grandeur of transient writing. Key Takeaway Seek lasting substance over fleeting flair. Themes literary criticism transience artistic value Mood skeptical contemplative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - book reviews - creative writing workshops - cultural analysis Key Concepts aesthetic decay ephemeral fame Questions to Reflect On - What makes a work timeless? - How do you balance originality with substance? A Different Perspective Focusing on novelty can neglect depth and meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Departed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departed/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Epigram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigram/) [Epigrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigrams/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) [Platitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platitudes/) [Popular literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-literature/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoke/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. The wisdom of a million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/platitude-n-the-fundamental-element-and-special-glory-of-popular/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [applause, n. The echo of a platitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/applause-n-the-echo-of-a-platitude/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Platitude: All that is mortal of a departed truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/platitude-all-that-is-mortal-of-a-departed-truth/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [EPIGRAM, n. A short, sharp saying in prose or verse, frequently characterize by acidity or acerbity and sometimes by wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/epigram-n-a-short-sharp-saying-in-prose-or-verse-frequently-2/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [EPIGRAM, n. A short, sharp saying in prose or verse, frequently characterize by acidity or acerbity and sometimes by wisdom. Following are some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/epigram-n-a-short-sharp-saying-in-prose-or-verse-frequently/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I am not recommending "popular" literature which aims at the lowest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-am-not-recommending-popular-literature-which-aims-at-the-lowest/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [All great popular literature today one day will be seen as great literature and will no longer be seen as popular literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/all-great-popular-literature-today-one-day-will-be-seen-as-great/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Over the years, I began to understand that there were a lot of people out there reading physics in popular literature that they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/over-the-years-i-began-to-understand-that-there-were-a-lot-of-people/) [Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/) > [“In the present day, when popular literature is running into the low levels of life, and luxuriating on the vices and follies of mankind;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/in-the-present-day-when-popular-literature-is-running-into-the-low/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Control in modern times requires more than force, more than law. It requires that a population dangerously concentrated in cities and factorites, whose lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/control-in-modern-times-requires-more-than-force-more-than-law-it-2/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Popular literature and culture used to reflect people's aspirations, pain, and passion. All those particular things are no longer available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-glover/popular-literature-and-culture-used-to-reflect-people-s-aspirations/) [Danny Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-glover/) > [Korean feminism is on the brink of death. Korea has a less clear boundary between popular literature and serious literature than in other countries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-hyesoon/korean-feminism-is-on-the-brink-of-death-korea-has-a-less-clear/) [Kim Hyesoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-hyesoon/) > [Gossip is more popular than literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-leonard/gossip-is-more-popular-than-literature/) [Hugh Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-leonard/) > [And all over the world, the old literature, the popular literature, is the same. It consists of very dignified sorrow and very undignified fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/and-all-over-the-world-the-old-literature-the-popular-literature-is/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The world of scholarship is much more measured in its appreciation and also its criticism than the world of popular literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-harkness/the-world-of-scholarship-is-much-more-measured-in-its-appreciation/) [Deborah Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-harkness/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "PLATITUDE, n. The fundamental element and special glory of popular literature. A thought that snores in words that smoke. All that is mortal of a departed truth. A jelly-fish withering on the shore of the sea of thought. 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