--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I no longer gave a sick dog's drop for…" description: "\"I no longer gave a sick dog's drop for the wisdom, the reliability and the authority of the public's literary mind, those creeps and old ladies of vest..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/norman-mailer-839_authority_i-no-longer-gave-a-sick-dog-s-drop-for-t_2470630.png" --- # I no longer gave a sick dog's drop for the wisdom, the… ![“I no longer gave a sick dog's drop for the wisdom, the reliability and the authority of the public's literary mind, those creeps and old ladies of vested reviewing.” quote by Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/norman-mailer-839_authority_i-no-longer-gave-a-sick-dog-s-drop-for-t_2470630.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/norman-mailer-839_authority_i-no-longer-gave-a-sick-dog-s-drop-for-t_2470630.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/norman-mailer-839_authority_i-no-longer-gave-a-sick-dog-s-drop-for-t_2470630.png) > “I no longer gave a sick dog's drop for the wisdom, the reliability and the authority of the public's literary mind, those creeps and old ladies of vested reviewing.” [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author criticizes the dominance of established literary critics who claim authority without merit, likening them to untrustworthy caretakers. **In simple terms:** Critics claim authority without real insight. Key Takeaway Question authority, seek diverse voices. Themes literary criticism authority trust media culture Mood skeptical critical inquisitive Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - book reviews - academic publishing - online platforms - media literacy - public discourse Key Concepts elitism gatekeeping credibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate a critic’s credibility? - What alternative sources can you trust? A Different Perspective Authority can be challenged by new, independent perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Creeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeps/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Dog Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog-drop-756780/) [Drop Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop-wisdom-756777/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Old lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-lady/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Public Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-literary-756781/) [Reliability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliability/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Vested Reviewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vested-reviewing-756778/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom Reliability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-reliability-756779/) ## Related quotes > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [The Libertarians, of whom I'm rather fond, are running Harry Browne. Libertarians are, just as they claim, principled and consistent- they believe in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-libertarians-of-whom-i-m-rather-fond-are-running-harry-browne/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [“...For like a rugged tree you are hard and sound at the core.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rider-haggard/for-like-a-rugged-tree-you-are-hard-and-sound-at-the-core/) [H. Rider Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rider-haggard/) > [“Or, rather, you irritate everyone, Curdle. Because you're so unreliable.' 'I'm not always unreliable, Telorast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/or-rather-you-irritate-everyone-curdle-because-you-re-so-unreliable-i/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Economic systems work better when there's an extreme reliability ethos. 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We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/part-of-the-oncoming-demise-of-new-york-during-its-terrible-fiscal/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [I have always had this very strong, call it a feeling, call it a prejudice, call it a conviction ... that the mysteries are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/i-have-always-had-this-very-strong-call-it-a-feeling-call-it-a/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [I do believe that America's deepest political sickness is that it is a self-righteous nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/i-do-believe-that-america-s-deepest-political-sickness-is-that-it-is/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [America is a hurricane, and the only people who do not hear the sound are those fortunate if incredibly stupid and smug White Protestants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/america-is-a-hurricane-and-the-only-people-who-do-not-hear-the-sound/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Armstrong, sitting in the commander's seat, spacesuit on, helmet on, plugged into electrical and environmental umbilical's, is a man who is not only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/armstrong-sitting-in-the-commander-s-seat-spacesuit-on-helmet-on/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [I was thinking that surgeons had to be the happiest people on earth. 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