Dismotivation: Difference between revisions

 

See also [[Almighty Janitor]], [[Hope Is Scary]], and [[Laborious Laziness]]. Compare [[Ambition Is Evil]].

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Bleach]]'': Ikkaku Madarame from refuses to let anyone know he can use [[Super Mode|bankai]], because he wants to continue serving under Kenpachi Zaraki.

** Yumichika Ayasegawa declines to use the full power of his shikai for the same reason, and also because the 11th division views kidou-based ability as evidence of cowardice which would therefore disgrace him.

 

== Comic Books ==

* ''[[Firefly]]'' example: This turns out to be Mal's motivation in ''Better Days'', realizing that he is genuinely happier in his small ship running dangerous jobs all around the galaxy, then actually getting a big score and being able to retire.

 

== Film ==

* Unsurprisingly, ''[[Clerks]] II''.

** In the original ''Clerks'' {{spoiler|it applies to Randal (who even says as much), and possibly to Jay and Bob}}. In the second film {{spoiler|Dante comes around to the same point of view}}.

 

== Literature ==

** Also from the Discworld, Rincewind, who wants to avoid any excitement or heroism for the rest of his life, even though it gets him congratulations and the admiration of pretty girls. However, he has historically been Fate's [[Butt Monkey]], so...

*** Fate just hates him because he's the best tool of The Lady (-Luck) in their eternal rivalry.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* Dave Lister, from ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', is basically an [[Almighty Janitor]] in because of this. While partly due to the fact he hates his job pre-apocalypse (in the novels, he only signed on with Red Dwarf because he somehow got so plastered that he wound up on Mimas, a moon of Jupiter, when he'd been getting drunk ''on Earth'' and it was the quickest way to get back to Earth), and post-apocalypse he's millions of years of non-stop travel away from Earth, he just doesn't have any major ambitions outside of trying to get home and open up a hot dog stand on Fiji.

* Jaye Tyler in ''[[Wonderfalls]]'' exemplifies this trope but ends up helping others, often under protest.

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

* Wally of ''[[Dilbert]]''. He was actually based on one of Scott Adams' coworkers who, after realizing that the bottom 10% of employees would be offered extremely generous buy-out packages, went out of his way to get fired. Adams says about this "This wouldn't have been so much fun to watch except this fellow was one of the more brilliant people I've met and he was totally dedicated to this goal." Wally's take on it:

{{quote|''It's all part of my can't-do approach to life''.}}

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[All Flesh Must Be Eaten]]'', a [[Zombie Apocalypse]] Tabletop game, one of the sample characters offered is a "professional student", who has been in college 12 years, living rather comfortably off of his scholarship, and has come "dangerously close to graduating" on several occasions. Though it's mostly used as a [[Hand Wave]] for why he has so many seemingly-unconnected skills.

 

== Theatre ==

* Fiyero's [["I Am" Song]] in ''[[Wicked (theatre)|Wicked]]'' is all about this. He chides schools for wanting to break his shallow, go-with-the-flow attitude about life.

** As he says to his companion upon arriving at said school: "Are we there already? Oh well, I'm sure I won't last longer here than I did at any of the others."

 

== Video Games ==

* Kariya from ''[[The World Ends With You]]'' intentionally avoids getting a promotion, despite being one of the most competent Reapers around. He already has his ideal job, which lets him relax and hang out with Yashiro.

* [[Kingdom Hearts|Demyx]] would like nothing better than to just sit around the Castle that Never Was and write songs. He actually bribes you to do his missions in ''[[Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days|358/2 Days.]]''

 

== Web Animation ==

* Grif of ''[[Red vs. Blue]]''. He acts lazy and incompetent that Sarge has slowly been giving him less and less to do, until he has practically no responsibilities at Red Base... just the way he likes it. At one point he takes Simmons' place as Sarge's second in command, but once he realizes that he'd actually have to do work, he gives it to Donut. It should also be noted that Grif is the only member of the Red Team that Church is wary of, realizing that his dismotivation hides the highest intelligence of the team.

 

== Western Animation ==

* Andy of ''[[Mission Hill]]'' actively mocks his little brother Kevin for choosing to focus on school over drinking and partying. Kevin, on his part, is upset that Andy chooses his lazy, layabout lifestyle over trying to get his (very good) cartoons published. One episode took Andy's dismotivation to extremes - he had just lost his job, and spent his days waking up in the afternoon, drinking, and basically wallowing in his own filth.

** Best exemplified when he takes a [[A Date with Rosie Palms|a jar of lotion into the bathroom]], closes the door, and then says, "Eh. Why bother?"

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]

[[Category:Character Flaw Index]]

[[Category:Motivation Index]]