Accepted Quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton
“The modern mind will accept nothing on authority, but will accept anything on no authority. Say that the Bible or the Pope says so and it will be dismissed without further examination. But preface your remark with "I think I heard somewhere," or, try but fail to remember the name of some professor who might have said "such-and-such," and it will be immediately accepted as an unshakable fact.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Orthodoxy, Gilbert K. Chesterton, 1908
People distrust authority statements but accept vague, unnamed sources; credibility depends on perceived authority, not evidence.
In simple terms: Authority is ignored; vague sources are believed.
Key Takeaway
Question source credibility.
Themes
skepticism
authority
belief
information
critical thinking
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- news consumption
- academic research
- political discourse
Key Concepts
Epistemology
cognitive bias
media literacy
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we trust unnamed experts?
- How can we improve source verification?
A Different Perspective
Over‑generalization may overlook genuine expertise.
![“The following of authority is the denial of intelligence. [It] may help us temporarily to cover up our difficulties and problems; but to avoid a problem is only to intensify it, and in the process, self-knowledge and freedom are abandoned.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/885/anonymous-1_abandoned_the-following-of-authority-is-the-denial_247202.jpg)
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
