Somebody Else's Problem: Difference between revisions

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Does somebody need a million dollars to pay off a loan shark? Is he bleeding to death on the street? Will a nuclear war start if he doesn't get the launch codes? [[Torture Cellar|Has he found out that young girls are vanishing into a house where the windows are coated with human blood]]? Whatever it is, he begs people for help—but no help is forthcoming. As far as they're concerned, it's '''Somebody Else's Problem'''. They're [[Apathetic Citizens]] and have more important things to worry about, like their [[Seinfeldian Conversation|back pains]].

Sadly, this trope is often [[Truth in Television]]. People have died while an entire neighborhood watched and listened to them scream for help. When asked why they didn't call 911, most reply that they figured someone else would. Sometimes this is used to demonstrate [[anvilicious]]ly that [[Humans Are ~~Bastards~~]].

Sadly, this trope is often [[Truth in Television]]. People have died while an entire neighborhood watched and listened to them scream for help. When asked why they didn't call 911, most reply that they figured someone else would. Sometimes this is used to demonstrate [[anvilicious]]ly that [[Humans Are the Real Monsters]].

It can be one of the reasons why the heroes are [[The Only One]] group dealing with a problem, [[With This Herring|even if they don't have the adequate resources for it]]. It can also explain [[Chronic Hero Syndrome|why they often grow to think that they must personally deal with everything]].