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<ref>This is called ~~The~~ Bystander Effect</ref>. Sometimes this is used to demonstrate [[anvilicious]]ly that [[Humans Are the Real Monsters]].

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<ref>This is called the [[w:Bystander effect|Bystander Effect]]</ref>. 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]].