History Main / BecauseISaidSo

* The official novelization of ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' reveals that [[Characters/MonsterVerseMarkRussell Mark Russell]] from the previous film has turned into this kind of parent since he gained custody of Madison: most of his scenes with Madison involve him telling her what to do and refusing to explain himself, pulling rank as her father or pulling a pity party for himself on her if he can't win the argument legitimately.

A type of AppealToAuthority; in technical terminology, this assertion is closest to the ''ipse dixit''[[note]]Translated from Latin to English: "''He said it himself''"[[/note]] fallacy, as both rely on assertions made without proof.

A type of AppealToAuthority. See also ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem and MyWayOrTheHighway. When the ''{{plot}} of a story itself'' seems to be doing this, you have the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality and/or BecauseDestinySaysSo. This saying will often be appealing to the TautologicalTemplar. Overlaps with PlayingTheFamilyCard if an older relative invokes family ties as a reason to obey them. An example of TruthInTelevision.

* In the film version of ''Film/{{Matilda}}'', our amazingly precocious protagonist is made to do as she's told because "I'm big and you're small, I'm smart and you're dumb, I'm right and you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it."

'''Tony:''' Because- why? [[TitleDrop BECAUSE I SAID SO!]]

* Defied in ''[[Literature/SpaceMarineBattles Death of Integrity]]'': Although Lord Plosk has enough autority to tell just that to the Space Marines waiting for instructions, he decides against it, as motivated and well-treated Space Marines are generally better soldiers (and safer to be around) than pissed-off, clueless Space Marines.

** In an episode, the title character used a variant of this on his little sister:

A type of AppealToAuthority. See also ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem and MyWayOrTheHighway. When the ''{{plot}} of a story itself'' seems to be doing this, you have the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality and/or BecauseDestinySaysSo. This saying will often be appealing to the TautologicalTemplar. An example of TruthInTelevision.

** HRG, under the excuse of trying to stay under the company's radar, uses BecauseISaidSo to keep Claire from dating because it looks like it will lead to his death.

* Referenced in a ''ComicStrip/TomTheDancingBug'' strip where Harvey Richards, Lawyer for Children, suggests an effective rebuttal to this argument in an advertisement:
-->'''Harvey Richards:''' I can have you winning arguments with your parents within days! How many times have this parental argument stumped you?\\
'''Kid:''' Why not?\\
'''Parent:''' Because I said so!\\
'''Kid:''' Oh.\\
'''Harvey Richards:''' Imagine your parents' reaction when you respond:\\
'''Kid:''' That's the kind of despotic decree that is not only anathema to all free-thinking people, it is also likely to cultivate a resentment towards authority that will impair my social advancement.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' ActionMom Charity causes an JustForFun/{{egregious}} example. [[spoiler:Charity is so ashamed of her own history with magic and knowledge of the Laws of Magic that she never tells anyone about it. Instead she engages in yelling matches with already rebellious teenager Molly about the use of her burgeoning magical talent. This results in the unwitting Molly breaking said laws, and Harry having to put his life on the line to prevent the White Council from killing her.]]
** [[spoiler:She goes double time later on when she tries to forbid Harry teaching Molly to use magic; Molly tries to cite the parable of the talents]][[note]]A man gives three of his servants some money; to one he gives ten talents, to another he gives five, and to the last he gives but one. The man who gets ten talents goes out and invests them, as does the man who got five talents. When the boss next comes around, they say, "Look here, we took the money you gave us and put it to work, and for our efforts the money has doubled." And the master praises them. But the man who got only one talent took it and buried it in the ground, and when the master comes around, he digs it up again and says, "See, I buried your money and kept it safe!" And the master berates him for his sloth.[[/note]] [[spoiler: as an argument in her favor, and Charity tells her, "Don't you ''dare'' quote scripture at me, young lady!" Which is the last thing a woman as religious as Charity should ever be saying to her child.]]
* Irvine Welsh's ''Literature/{{Porno}}'': Spud doesn't take an argument with Begbie further, as he knows it will be along the lines of "No it won't", "Yes it will", "How so?", "Because I fucking says so".

* In the ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures'' novel ''The Also People'', one of the People discusses the "why loop" someone can get stuck in with a ConstantlyCurious child, where they ask why the sky is blue, and one eventually finds oneself trying to explain physics in terms a four-year-old will understand. Benny reflects that she'd have resorted to this long before they got to that point.

* This is one of the lengths many parents will go to in order to prevent children from having any knowledge of swearing, and forbidding children from actually swearing themselves.
* This is a common reply when one's parent can't think of a comeback.
** Parents may have valid reasons but not want to give them. For example, it's generally not appropriate to confide in a child that the ''real'' reason the child can't go to the circus with Uncle Shaggy this afternoon is that Uncle Shaggy is stoned out of his mind at this particular moment, and none too bright even when he's as sober as a judge.
** It's also possible the parent is smart enough to realize that children in general and ''their'' children in particular are born [[RulesLawyer Rules Lawyers]], so giving a ''reason'' why will only result in a barrage of objections, each of which they're going to have to argue tooth-and-nail. Sometimes it's best to just refuse to play and go with the Unanswer, because this limits the possible objections pretty much to "It's not fair!" which has a built-in response ("LifeIsntFair.")
** And sometimes a kid is just being playful and/or curious to the point of exasperation: "Why?" "Because X" "Why X?" "Because Y" "Why Y?" "Because Z" "Why Z?" "BECAUSE I SAID SO!"
*** Of course, the short-term benefits to the parent's sanity is probably not worth the long term effect of teaching their children to unquestioningly accept anything an authority figure tells them at all times.
* Parents often do this when saddled with a ConstantlyCurious child or [[CuriousAsAMonkey Curious Monkey]].
* Parents and other authority figures will often use this as an excuse to control their children and/or those under their care and/or watch.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'':
** Olga wishes to speak to the [[HumanTrafficking dark elf refugees]] that Kyril has rescued. Cue this exchange, though with a slight variation.
--->'''Olga:''' I wish to speak to them.\\
'''Kyril:''' ''[in a dismissive tone]'' Your concern is noted... but, I am afraid that I must deny your request for the time being.\\
'''Chloe:''' ''[angered]'' My lady wants to speak to those people you rescued, knight.\\
'''Kyril:''' And she can when I say she can. It is not safe for her to be around them anyway.
** The above is later {{subverted}} as a justification is given -- those refugees were from Loraine, the city that Olga once sacrificed to the orcs, so naturally, they loathe her. To Kyril's credit, he later has Grace send a message to the refugees, informing that Olga wants to speak to them. This also allows Olga to head towards the refugee camp and start making amends with the people she had wronged before.

** The above is later {{subverted}} as a justification is given -- those refugees were from Loraine, the city that Olga once sacrificed to the orcs, so naturally, they loathe her. To Kyril's credit, he later has Grace send a message to the refugees, informing that Olga wants to speak to them. This also allows Olga to start making amends with the people she had wronged before.

'''Parent:''' Because I said so.\\

'''Harvey Richards:''' Now, imagine your parents' reaction when you respond:

* On an episode of ''Series/TheWire'', Omar gets asked by the rest of his crew why he only robs stashes from the Barksdale crew, and his answer is simply "Because."

* ''Series/TheProfessionals''. In "Look After Annie", George Cowley assigns [=CI5=] the job of bodyguarding controversial American politician Annie Irvine. When Bodie and Doyle ask why they're doing a job that Special Branch would normally be doing, Cowley replies, "Because I want it. Because I say so." This is [[DaChief hardly unusual for Cowley]], but when Irvine looks delighted that [[AffectionateNickname "Georgie"]] sent them, our heroes start to wonder if it's to [[OldFlame cover up for another reason]].

** Later {{subverted}} as a justification is given -- those refugees were from Loraine, the city that Olga once sacrificed to the orcs, so naturally, they loathe her. To Kyril's credit, he later has Grace send a message to the refugees, informing that Olga wants to speak to them. This also allows Olga to start making amends with the people she had wronged before.