Truth in Television: Difference between revisions

Line 1:

Once in a while, a TV show does something that actually happens in [[Real Life]]. Don't worry, it never lasts, and they soon slip back into their [[Strictly Formula|old habits]]. Rarely, other shows pick up on this, and you then get a recurring [[Trope]] that accurately reflects the real world. Listed below, for your convenience, are some examples of those.

Line 18:

And that's pretty much how television works. So please, before adding anything to the list below or describing any existing [[Trope|tropes]] as [[Truth in Television]], think for a moment: is or was this used in TV kinda like it really happened? Or is there maybe kind of a lot of hyperbole on one side or the other of the equation to make it fit? If the answer to the first question is a definite yes... [[You're Insane!|Go right ahead.]]

Also, just because something may be definitely and entirely [[Truth in Television]] does not mean we necessarily want [[Real Life]] examples of it. If a trope is listed both here and on [[No Real Life Examples]] (or says "No real life examples, please" on its page) that means that while its occurrence is definitely possible or even common in [[Real Life]], listing the examples would either be too [[People Sit On Chairs|exhaustive and pointless]] or [[Flame Bait|too controversial]] because [[Real Life]] is subjective.

Also, just because something may be definitely and entirely [[Truth in Television]] does not mean we necessarily want [[Real Life]] examples of it. If a trope is listed both here and on [[No Real Life Examples]] (or says "No real life examples, please" on its page) that means that while its occurrence is definitely possible or even common in [[Real Life]], listing the examples would either be too [[People Sit on Chairs|exhaustive and pointless]] or [[Flame Bait|too controversial]] because [[Real Life]] is subjective.

For example, [[The Mentally Disturbed]] - [[Captain Obvious|mentally ill people do exist]] in [[Real Life]] and therefore the trope belongs on this index. That said, real life mental illness (at least once you include the milder illnesses and degrees of it) is so common that having a list of mentally ill people would overwhelm the entire wiki, and some people would find being listed as examples of mental illness or instability very insulting.

Line 51:

** Played straight with deadly results with samurai-class women. They trained with various weapons ("inferior" naginata and tanto particularly) specifically to be this trope and defend the home and family while the men were off making war.

* [[Adminisphere]]: Administrators and upper management of anything tend to either be or become separate from the rank and file, which means decision making may well be affected badly. Averted by policies and by keeping communication open, and subverted when the education or better information of higher-ups makes for better decisions.

* [[Adventurer Archaeologist]]: Yes; though it's very exaggerated nowadays, there really used to be rough-and-tumble cowboy archaeologists. Roy Chapman Andrews is said to be the inspiration for [[Indiana Jones]]. He led expeditions through the Arctic and China, but most famously through the Gobi Desert. He was frequently attacked by bandits and survived by his wits. Yes, he was a real person. Go look him up. His biography reads like a pulp fiction novel, but unlike [[L Ron Hubbard]], it's all true.

* [[Adventurer Archaeologist]]: Yes; though it's very exaggerated nowadays, there really used to be rough-and-tumble cowboy archaeologists. Roy Chapman Andrews is said to be the inspiration for [[Indiana Jones]]. He led expeditions through the Arctic and China, but most famously through the Gobi Desert. He was frequently attacked by bandits and survived by his wits. Yes, he was a real person. Go look him up. His biography reads like a pulp fiction novel, but unlike [[L. Ron Hubbard]], it's all true.

* [[A Fool and His New Money Are Soon Parted]]: It's called "sudden wealth syndrome".

* [[Afraid of Blood]]: Hemophobia.

Line 86:

* [[Arranged Marriage]]: Believe it or not, there are still places where this is common.

* [[Asexuality]]: It's weird being surrounded by something that you've got no interest in.

* [[As Long As It Sounds Foreign]]: Known in business as "foreign branding", and in everyday life as "Häagen-Dazs" Also, [http://www.engrish.com Engrish]. Seriously, they couldn't find an gaijin expatriate somewhere around Tokyo? And some [http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com Chinese tattoos look cool until a Chinese person tells you what it really means].

* [[As Long as It Sounds Foreign]]: Known in business as "foreign branding", and in everyday life as "Häagen-Dazs" Also, [http://www.engrish.com Engrish]. Seriously, they couldn't find an gaijin expatriate somewhere around Tokyo? And some [http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com Chinese tattoos look cool until a Chinese person tells you what it really means].

* [[Asshole Victim]]: This is what can happen to you when you're the kind of person that others are right to rejoice in your misfortunes. The moral: Try not to be such a douchebag.

* [[Assumed Win]]: Much to the embarrassment of whoever stands up.

Line 125:

* [[Boys Love]]: As you can see from many other entries on this list, gay men exist.

* [[Bragging Rights Reward]]: Too many to name, but anything where the only award is immediately consumed or is an unusable certificate or trophy (or worse, the temporary acclaim of one's current peers.)

* [[Brainwashed]]: Rare, but it can happen, though [[Tropes Examined By the Mythbusters|NOT by hypnosis or subliminal suggestion]]. (See [[More Than Mind Control]] below for how it does.) Ongoing situations of [[Domestic Abuse]] and other forms of abuse and exploitation tend to have some element of this.

* [[Brainwashed]]: Rare, but it can happen, though [[Tropes Examined by the Mythbusters|NOT by hypnosis or subliminal suggestion]]. (See [[More Than Mind Control]] below for how it does.) Ongoing situations of [[Domestic Abuse]] and other forms of abuse and exploitation tend to have some element of this.

* [[Brainwashed and Crazy]]: [[Nazi Germany]]. [[Useful Notes/North Korea|North Korea]]. Cults that attack, perpetrate crimes against, sue people in the outside world, or commit mass suicide. Abused spouses or family members that (sometimes violently) defend their abusers. Often specific to charismatic cults centred around an individual and or specific set of beliefs (including atheistic, religious, and political). These cults can control whole countries but are usually very small and insular. Usually far too self-destructive, insular, unstable, and paranoid to survive long.

* [[Briefcase Blaster]]: Heckler and Koch makes a special briefcase for their [[MP 5 K]]. [http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c70c0f2ba0 Here's a video.]

Line 131:

* [[Broke the Rating Scale]]: The first use probably was by a band who claimed that they were so loud that their speakers had to [[Up to Eleven|Go To Eleven]] (versus the usual 1-10 volume control).

* [[Buried Alive]]: Used to happen extremely frequently because of primitive medicine. (Well, with varying frequency, depending on who you ask.) Now, it's rare. People still have this fear and request bells installed in their coffin just in case.

* [[Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie]]: Specific instructions for the final handling of a body or ashes are far from uncommon.

* [[Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie]]: Specific instructions for the final handling of a body or ashes are far from uncommon.

* [[Busman's Holiday]]: Carpenters spend their time off fixing the house, IT staff spend their time at home on a PC, musicians tend to spend time off going to others' shows and listening to music, and pilots and flight attendants do hitch rides on their airlines, obviously.

* [[But I Play One On TV]]: Actors, musicians, and others are often recognized for role played or stage persona.

* [[But I Play One on TV]]: Actors, musicians, and others are often recognized for role played or stage persona.

* [[But It Really Happened!]]: Because, sometimes, it did, just as the creators said. We just would prefer not to know all the gory details.

* [[But We Used a Condom]]: To the sorrow of many, and the existence of quite a few.

** If our product doesn't work, Happy Father's Day!

* [[But You Screw One Goat!]]: Yes, bestiality exists.

* [[Call a Smeerp A Rabbit]]: European naturalists named some animals, such as the koala bear, after other animals that kind of looked similar but weren't at all related. Example: The Tasmanian tiger, aka the thylacine.

* [[Call a Smeerp a Rabbit]]: European naturalists named some animals, such as the koala bear, after other animals that kind of looked similar but weren't at all related. Example: The Tasmanian tiger, aka the thylacine.

* [[Calling Your Attacks]]: Martial arts practitioners believe that expressing certain phrases or vocalization help build up ''chi'' or ensure proper breathing

* [[Camp Gay]] / [[The Twink]]: Although to a far lesser extent (and a far more self-aware extent) usually than TV depictions of gay men would have you believe. Contrast [[Bara]], [[The Bear]], [[Straight Gay]]. [[Macho Camp]] is when this is intentionally subverted, and [[Armored Closet Gay]] is arguably when it is unintentionally [[Double Subverted]].

Line 147:

* [[The Catfish]]: The [[wikipedia:Wels catfish|"wels catfish"]], also called a "sheatfish". They can be up to 10 ft long (3m) and weigh 330lbs (150kg). They eat ducks.

* [[CAT Trap]]: If you're suffering from claustrophobia, you don't want to spend too much time in a closed scanner.

* [[Caught ~~With~~ Your Pants Down]]: Because some people [[Your Door Was Open|don't remember to lock the door]], and others are exhibitionists.

* [[Caught with Your Pants Down]]: Because some people [[Your Door Was Open|don't remember to lock the door]], and others are exhibitionists.

* [[Ceiling Banger]]: What apartment dweller hasn't had to deal with noisy neighbors?

* [[The City Narrows]]: Most large cities have what is euphemistically called a "bad area" or two. The larger the city, the more likely. It probably won't be all alleys, though.

Line 168:

* [[Conveniently-Common Kink]]: Because a fair amount of kinks are fairly common among sexual humans (especially at the lighter end of BDSM, for example), and in settings where people can be open, they may be quite surprised at how many people share their deepest, darkest desire.

* [[Converting for Love]]: Yes, it happens. Enough that some religious sects will use the promise of a loving relationship to recruit people.

* [[Convicted By Public Opinion]]: [[wikipedia:Cultural hegemony|Cultural hegemony]], trial by jury.

* [[Convicted by Public Opinion]]: [[wikipedia:Cultural hegemony|Cultural hegemony]], trial by jury.

* [[Cool but Inefficient]]: The Tsar Tank. You could walk faster than it could move at top speed.

* [[Cool Chair]]: Thrones, of course. And someone based a 15K chair off of the one Blofeld had.

Line 198:

* [[Deep Sleep]]: Some people are definitely heavier sleepers than others, especially if drunk or drugged. The reason fire alarms and loud alarm clocks exist.

* [[Delegation Relay]]: Else known in English as "passing the buck," because no one really wants to do some chores or run some errands.

* [[Denied Food As Punishment]]: Concentration camps in [[Nazi Germany]] and [[North Korea]], in which the highest death rates were (or in [[North Korea]]'s case, are) from starvation. In a more benign sense, a child being denied junk food for bad behavior.

* [[Denied Food as Punishment]]: Concentration camps in [[Nazi Germany]] and [[North Korea]], in which the highest death rates were (or in [[North Korea]]'s case, are) from starvation. In a more benign sense, a child being denied junk food for bad behavior.

* [[Depraved Dentist]]: There's been a few cases of [[Real Life]] dentists sexually assaulting unconscious patients, and others doing fraudulent or unnecessary work (especially on low-income children on Medicaid and, conversely, in high-income privately insured patients) to make money, even if said work makes the patient's oral health far worse. And the [[Ur Example]] of the [[Deadly Doctor]], [[Mad Doctor]], and all similar tropes, Josef Mengele, started out as a dentist.

* [[Deserted Island]]: All around the world. And not just in tropical regions as in fiction, but in temperate and polar regions as well.

Line 205:

* [[Diner Brawl]]: It's not rare for late-night diners to see these happen from time to time. Many of these diners are in areas with a lot of nightlife, resulting in drunk patrons coming in to eat. As with the [[Bar Brawl]], drunk people gathering together in one place can sometimes be dangerous.

* [[Dinner Deformation]]: Some types of snakes eat a prey so large that it shows.

* [[Distracted By the Sexy]]: Many Ad Councils have tried putting sexy things in their billboards to get people to pay attention to them. They end up causing more car accidents than they had been trying to prevent.

* [[Distracted by the Sexy]]: Many Ad Councils have tried putting sexy things in their billboards to get people to pay attention to them. They end up causing more car accidents than they had been trying to prevent.

* [[Divided We Fall]]: Internal squabbles and quarrels can have far more destructive impact on anything from a friendship to a nation than can any external threat. Good examples can be seen in nearly every case of Internet drama that has ever happened as well.

* [[Divorce Assets Conflict]]: When you've shared the same stuff for years, of course you're going to fight over who gets what. Averted with prenups.

* [[Does Not Understand Sarcasm]]: Can happen with people on the autism spectrum. There's also neurotypical people who don't get sarcasm. Like the [[Dumb Blonde]], or anyone unfamiliar with a language and/or culture. Aphasia and aprodosia, where because of a brain injury, someone physically cannot comprehend what you're saying, are some other reasons.

* [[Dodgeball Is Hell]]: In some schools.

* [[Dodge By Braking]]: Some planes really can do that.

* [[Dodge by Braking]]: Some planes really can do that.

* [[Do I Really Sound Like That?]]: Some voice actors avoid watching their own work specifically to avoid this.

* [[Domestic Abuse]]: Sadly so, and probably more common than most of us would like to think, especially if emotional and financial abuse are counted alongside beatings and rapes.

Line 219:

* [[Door Step Baby]]: Less common nowadays because hospitals will take abandoned babies, no questions asked. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

* [[Double Entendre]]: Practically the stock in trade of anyone who uses [[Twitter]], headline writers, and pretty much anyone in some situations.

* [[Double Standard Rape (Female On Male)]]: In some countries, rape is actually defined as unconsented ''male-on-female'' sex.

* [[Double Standard Rape (Female on Male)]]: In some countries, rape is actually defined as unconsented ''male-on-female'' sex.

* [[Dramatic Shattering]]: Glass tends to break in accidents, crimes, and disasters. Also, in a form of [[Defictionalization]], people being dramatic or wanting to destroy something will often break whatever glass is nearby.

* [[Dream Within a Dream]]: ''Incredibly'' common.

Line 246:

** This is mostly seen in prison system where prisoners have standards and those who had violated them don’t last too long. Many oppressive regimes also have standards within their countries on what kind of brutality is too much, even for the government.

* [[Even Nerds Have Standards]]: Nerds either have very low standards, or [[Extraverted Nerd|very high standards]].

* [[Everything's Better ~~With~~ Chocolate]]: It releases pleasure hormones. Many people use it as an antidepressant, including [[JK Rowling]].

* [[Everything's Better with Chocolate]]: It releases pleasure hormones. Many people use it as an antidepressant, including [[J. K. Rowling]].

* [[Everything Is Big in Texas]]: Texas is a pretty damn big state.

* [[Everything's Sparkly ~~With~~ Jewelry]]: Because bright colors or unusual colors attract the human eye.

* [[Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry]]: Because bright colors or unusual colors attract the human eye.

** [[Gem-Encrusted]]: Some people can really overdo this now that Swarovski crystals are more common...

* [[Everything Trying to Kill You]]: [http://www.cracked.com/funny-163-australia/ Australia.] For the immunocompromised, life.

Line 278:

* [[Fence Painting]]: Arranged by recruiters for militaries, fraternities, and sororities.

* [[Feuding Families]]: The Hatfields and the McCoys in the US; the MacGregors and the Campbells in Scotland; the Italian mafia families in New York and Sicily (with a couple in New Orleans).

* [[Firing in ~~The~~ Air A Lot]]: The earliest form of "warning shots" and "suppressive fire," intended more to frighten and terrorize than to actually hit anyone with the gunfire. In another form, "celebratory gunfire" for anything from holidays to terrorists celebrating a victory. The problem with it is that the bullets have to land somewhere, and when they do, people in their way get shot.

* [[Firing in the Air a Lot]]: The earliest form of "warning shots" and "suppressive fire," intended more to frighten and terrorize than to actually hit anyone with the gunfire. In another form, "celebratory gunfire" for anything from holidays to terrorists celebrating a victory. The problem with it is that the bullets have to land somewhere, and when they do, people in their way get shot.

* [[Flawed Prototype]]: Happens in many aspects, from military gadgets to toys.

* [[Fluffy Fashion Feathers]]: Lots less extreme and common than it used to be in general fashion, but still going strong in performance costumes, like dancewear, and stage costuming. Still around on hats, too.

Line 286:

* [[Forgets to Eat]]: Every gamer has done this. This can also be applied to workaholics.

* [[419 Scam]]: [[Truth in Television]] and in New Media. Don't believe it? Just take a look inside your spam folder... and realize this is one of the reasons why we have to have spam folders.

** The name actually comes from the section of the Nigerian criminal code pertaining to wire fraud, so it's also [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin]].

** The name actually comes from the section of the Nigerian criminal code pertaining to wire fraud, so it's also [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]].

* [[Freeze Sneeze]]: Cold really does make some people sneeze.

* [[Friend or Foe]]: Sometimes, especially in combat, it is very difficult to tell who is on your side and who is not.

* [[Friends ~~With~~ Benefits]]: Often is a "real relationship" for some people, especially those that don't prefer traditional dating and romance models.

* [[Friends with Benefits]]: Often is a "real relationship" for some people, especially those that don't prefer traditional dating and romance models.

* [[Frivolous Lawsuit]]: This isn't just in America, they come from all over the world. Some of the most ridiculous are from Brazil and Britain.

* [[Freudian Excuse]]: Used in many a court case. [[Daddy Issues]] and [[Mommy Issues]] are subtropes of this, also used in many a court case.

Line 346:

* [[Idle Rich]]: Because for some people, being rich ''is'' their life's accomplishment. Aversions, however, do exist.

* [[If It Tastes Bad, It Must Be Good for You]]: Several good foods are actually quite bitter or almost disgustingly bland.

* [[I Just Shot Marvin in ~~The~~ Face]]: Every 12 seconds, a kid accidentally fires a gun and hurts someone. <ref>Someone needs to take the gun off that fucking kid, then.</ref>

* [[I Just Shot Marvin in the Face]]: Every 12 seconds, a kid accidentally fires a gun and hurts someone. <ref>Someone needs to take the gun off that fucking kid, then.</ref>

* [[I Know Karate]]: Because some people do, indeed, know karate and other martial arts.

* [[I Know Mortal Kombat]]: Because even more people know no martial arts but think they do. The reason Bullshido and the [[What the Fu Are You Doing?]] trope exist.

* [[If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her]]: Anyone with a younger sister has said this.

* [[If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her...]]: Anyone with a younger sister has said this.

* [[The Illegal]]: Illegal immigrants are a large portion of many populations, and a hot-button political issue for nativists in said countries.

* [[Implausible Deniability]]: Bad excuses are common everywhere.

Line 374:

* [[The Jailbait Wait]]: Depending on the state, you may not even have to wait. Some go as low as 14. But yes, people are dumb enough to do this. By the time she's old enough, she'll already have a boyfriend.

* [[Jerkass]]: Who hasn't met at least one in real life? If you haven't, you may want to look in the mirror.

* [[Jerk ~~With~~ a Heart of Gold]]: ... On the other hand, you've probably met one of these as well. But if you consider yourself one you probably aren't.

* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: ... On the other hand, you've probably met one of these as well. But if you consider yourself one you probably aren't.

* [[Jews Love to Argue]]: The Talmud itself is a result of legal arguments regarding Jewish religious laws. This emphasis may have also been a contributing factor in the amount of Jewish lawyers, [[Unfortunate Implications|stereotypical]] and otherwise.

* [[Joke Item]]: Plenty of them exist, some for the point of using them in practical jokes, others for many other reasons.

* [[Joker Jury]]: War crimes trials held by the victorious nation can be seen as this. As can very biased juries, for racial or other reasons. Attempting to prevent this is the reason that the ''voir dire'' process exists in some countries that use juries.

* [[Joke Weapon]]: Happens in [[Real Life]]. In one variant, carried to look like an actual [[Weapon for Intimidation]] but with no intent of actually being used. In another variant, used - there was at least one case of someone being slapped with a fish.

* [[Jump Off a Bridge Rebuttal]]: Used by everyone's dad.

* [["Jump Off a Bridge" Rebuttal]]: Used by everyone's dad.

* [[Kangaroo Court]]: See [[Joker Jury]] above. Corrupt legal systems can produce this, as can biased or unfair ones.

* [[Key Under the Doormat]]: Burglars know this. Don't bother with it.

Line 388:

* [[Killer Rabbit]]: A great many animals are meaner, sharper, or more poisonous than they look. This is why you don't play with wild animals.

* [[Kill Sat]]: The Strategic Defense Initiative, more commonly known as Project Star Wars. Similar projects are in the works, mostly because [[Frickin' Laser Beams|lasers are cool]].

* [[Knocking On Heathens' Door]]: Door-to-door proselytizing does exist, most infamously with the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

* [[Knocking on Heathens' Door]]: Door-to-door proselytizing does exist, most infamously with the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

* [[La Résistance]]: The French and Dutch Resistances were notoriously violent and strong, as were the Soviet and Yugoslav partisans, and the Polish Home Army.

** Krav Maga, the deadliest martial art, was made specifically for Jews getting accosted by the SS.

Line 400:

* [[Living Motion Detector]]: True for several animal species, which is why said species are so hard to film.

* [[Loan Shark]]: Why do people use their services instead of a, you know, bank? Bad credit, my dear Watson. Bad credit.

* [[Locking MacGyver in ~~The~~ Store Cupboard]]: Surprising but true. The most memorable case would be John and Clarence Anglen's and Frank Morris' escape from Alcatraz (as hard as it is to believe someone would actually fall for the fake-dummy-head-in-the-bed trick).

* [[Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard]]: Surprising but true. The most memorable case would be John and Clarence Anglen's and Frank Morris' escape from Alcatraz (as hard as it is to believe someone would actually fall for the fake-dummy-head-in-the-bed trick).

* [[The Loins Sleep Tonight]]: The OTHER reason why you have a spam folder.

* [[Loners Are Freaks]]: People often wrongly jump to this conclusion when dealing with loners in real life.

Line 415:

* [[MacGyvering]]: VERY common in [[Real Life]], especially among people who are cash-poor. Everything from furniture creation to computer repair to fashion to [[The Alleged Car|automobile repair to]] [[Nightmare Fuel|animal and human health care]] may well be subject to it depending on the setting.

* [[Made of Plasticine]]: Human beings can be very weak and die from some of the most unlikely to ordinarily cause death things, but not always - see [[Normally I Would Be Dead Now]] below.

* [[The Mafia]], [[The Mafiya]], [[The Triads and ~~The~~ Tongs]], [[Yakuza]], and other organized crime groups: They are tropes because they exist.

* [[The Mafia]], [[The Mafiya]], [[The Triads and the Tongs]], [[Yakuza]], and other organized crime groups: They are tropes because they exist.

* [[Maligned Mixed Marriage]]: There are hundreds, if noth thousands of examples throughout history of people hating those who marry outside of their race. In fact, at one time in the US, there were laws banning miscegenation<ref>interracial marriage</ref>.

* [[Mama Bear]]: Both the animal and human kind. There are documented cases of mothers rescuing their children from mountain lions and actual bears.

Line 421:

* [[Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe]]: Men do wonder. DNA testing has shown that sometimes, they have reason.

* [["Ma'am" Shock]]: Was more pronounced when "ma'am" meant an older woman. Now not as big of an issue - except for men mistaken for women on some occasions.

* [[Man in A Bikini]]: How often have you seen one, and the reaction it gets?

* [[Man in a Bikini]]: How often have you seen one, and the reaction it gets?

* [[Mars and Venus Gender Contrast]]: Will almost inevitably be claimed as this by anyone invoking it.

* [[Meat Versus Veggies]]: There are many cases where persons debate with one another about the superiority of one kind of diet over another. If you're a vegetarian, you have probably had to contend with all sorts of reactions ranging from concern borne of ignorance to open scorn or derision. Alternately, if you're a meat eater, you've likely been accused of everything from murder to animal cruelty to endangering your health.

Line 428:

* [[Mental Affair]]: The non- [[Science Fiction]] variant is fairly common.

* [[The Mentally Disturbed]]: Far more common but also far more mild than TV would make you think.

* [[Might As Well Not Be in Prison At All]]: If you're not claustrophobic, house arrest.

* [[Might as Well Not Be in Prison At All]]: If you're not claustrophobic, house arrest.

* [[Mile-High Club]]: Though trying to join is probably a bad idea if you don't have a private aircraft, and [[Too Dumb to Live|a very bad idea]] if you're the pilot.

* [[Military Brat]]: There is a whole subculture surrounding the family of military personnel.

Line 465:

* [[No-Tell Motel]]: [[Love Hotels]] in Japan, and plenty of other hotels and motels. You may have even stayed in one...

* [[Not in My Back Yard]]: And ''another'' one used in [[Real Life]] long before it was a trope.

* [[No You Hang Up First]]: A manifestation of the "sunk cost" fallacy in that someone who is speaking in such a conversation will want to stay on as long as they can even if it would be better to stop talking.

* [[No, You Hang Up First]]: A manifestation of the "sunk cost" fallacy in that someone who is speaking in such a conversation will want to stay on as long as they can even if it would be better to stop talking.

* [[Obligatory Swearing]]: Middle and high school. The [[Music/Hardcore Punk|Hardcore Punk]] [[~~Heavy Metal (Music)|~~Heavy Metal]], [[Music/Hip Hop|Hip Hop]], and [[Visual Kei]] music scenes. Sailors and truck drivers.

* [[Obligatory Swearing]]: Middle and high school. The [[Music/Hardcore Punk|Hardcore Punk]] [[Heavy Metal]], [[Music/Hip Hop|Hip Hop]], and [[Visual Kei]] music scenes. Sailors and truck drivers.

* [[Obligatory War Crime Scene]]: Yes, many of those war crime scenes you see in movies ''actually happened'' (or were based on true events) and were most likely ''toned down'' for viewers. The exception would be [[But It Really Happened!]].

* [[Oblivious Adoption]]: Oh, it happens alright. More often than we like to think.

Line 480:

** Simo Häyhä, a Finnish sniper during Finlands winter war (1939-1940) he scored 505 confirmed kills & 542 unconfirmed. Also 200+ kills with submachine gun. Remarkably, all of Häyhä's kills were accomplished in fewer than 100 days with a very limited amount of daylight per day. Nicknamed "Valkoinen Kuolema" in Finnish, which translates to "White Death".

* [[Only Sane Employee]]: Been there, done that, burned the t-shirt.

* [[Only Sane Man]]: You feel like this often, admit it. And this trope's cousin [[Surrounded By Idiots]] too, most likely.

* [[Only Sane Man]]: You feel like this often, admit it. And this trope's cousin [[Surrounded by Idiots]] too, most likely.

* [[Operation Blank]]: They've had some [http://www.cracked.com/article_16213_the-25-least-inspiring-military-operation-names.html pretty silly names].

* [[Operator From India]]: Dell is the biggest offender. Most big companies do it nowadays to save money. Outsourcing FTL

* [[Overheating]]: Why your computer needs fans or some kind of a cooling system, especially the more you push it to do. Why ignoring the "check engine" warning or the temperature gauge on your vehicle is ''never'' a good idea. Can happen to human beings also, usually during heat waves, under the influence of drugs that affect the brain's temperature regulation - from alcohol to MDMA to neuroleptic drugs - or who have some forms of brain damage that do the same.

* [[Our Dragons Are Different]]: Komodo dragons and leafy sea dragons, among others.

* [[Out ~~With~~ a Bang]]: Yes, there are some sexual practices that can kill you. If you're in bad enough health or are just unlucky, sex itself can do so.

* [[Out with a Bang]]: Yes, there are some sexual practices that can kill you. If you're in bad enough health or are just unlucky, sex itself can do so.

== P-R ==

* [[Paedo Hunt]]: As exemplified by the cases where parents' family photos of once-innocent events have been reported to police by developers or by people who see them on [[~~Face Book~~]], by the infamous "paedophile/pediatrician" mixup, and [[Moral Guardian]] callouts of fictional media employing [[Dawson Casting]] or [[Literature|not even involving]] [[Anime and Manga|real personages at all]] for depicting relationships between teenagers.

* [[Paedo Hunt]]: As exemplified by the cases where parents' family photos of once-innocent events have been reported to police by developers or by people who see them on [[Facebook]], by the infamous "paedophile/pediatrician" mixup, and [[Moral Guardian]] callouts of fictional media employing [[Dawson Casting]] or [[Literature|not even involving]] [[Anime and Manga|real personages at all]] for depicting relationships between teenagers.

* [[Papa Wolf]]: As if the [[Mama Bear]] trope wasn't enough, ''do not threaten or harm someone's children.''

* [[Passive-Aggressive Kombat]]: Some situations don't allow for a physical or heated confrontation.

Line 506:

* [[The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything]]: Bosozoku and ''yankii'' in Japan, 99 percent of motorcycle clubs elsewhere in the world, punk rockers and black metallers for the most part, the list goes on. The most harm members of such groups likely do on average is creating noise, minor illicit drug use or petty fraud or shoplifting, if that. They normally get hated either for the more outrageous crimes (and incredibly rare) crimes that show up in their midst, or for being nuisances with the extent of petty crimes in a more law-oriented and business-oriented mainstream culture.

* [[The Plague]]: [[wikipedia:Black Death|The Black Death]]. Spanish Flu.

* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: [[CS ~~Lewis~~ ~~(Creator)~~|CS Lewis]] made a note in the "friendship" section of ''The Four Loves'' that platonic friendship between members of the opposite sex happened a lot in academia. (He ignored the gay angle, though.) It's called the Westermarck Effect, and it's why most brothers and sisters raised together aren't romantically interested in each other.

* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: [[C. S. Lewis|CS Lewis]] made a note in the "friendship" section of ''The Four Loves'' that platonic friendship between members of the opposite sex happened a lot in academia. (He ignored the gay angle, though.) It's called the Westermarck Effect, and it's why most brothers and sisters raised together aren't romantically interested in each other.

* [[Playing Sick]]: Don't tell me you've never done it.

* [[Plucky Middie]]: They had to be.

Line 517:

* [[Powder Trail]]: It happens. Often more so with liquid than powder - this is why you avoid sparks and open flame near gasoline or other flammable liquids.

* [[Pretext for War]]: Has happened quite a few times in history.

* [[Pretty Fly for A White Guy]]: It's a common subculture among some.

* [[Pretty Fly for a White Guy]]: It's a common subculture among some.

* [[Pretty in Mink]]: Fur is often worn for style instead of warmth.

* [[Primal Scene]]: Walking in on parents (or other adult relatives) having sex has happened to a lot of people.

Line 558:

* [[The Savage South]]: Until recent times, areas near the equator were seen by many Europeans and Americans as not only unpleasantly hot but also arid or sopping wet and full of dangerous large animals like panthers and lions. If the heat or animals did not kill you, the diseases borne by biting flies or mosquitoes would. Modern advances in dealing with disease and wild animals have resulted in a more "friendly" outlook on these places as the risks are more easily managed.

* [[Sand Bridge At Low Tide]]: Mont Saint-Michel, a French islet near the coastline of Normandy.

* [[Saved By the Awesome]]: Just like the [[Cowboy Cop]] and [[Military Maverick]] can be found in [[Real Life]], so can this; this being the reason they exist in the first place.

* [[Saved by the Awesome]]: Just like the [[Cowboy Cop]] and [[Military Maverick]] can be found in [[Real Life]], so can this; this being the reason they exist in the first place.

* [[Schoolgirl Lesbians]]: If you're in high school or college, you probably know a few. Aka "LUGs" (Lesbian Until Graduation) or "Daddy's money lesbians". Bisexuality is the new "I'm soooo drunk".

* [[Secondary Fire]]: Many weapons have burst and autofire modes or even grenade launchers attached to the gun.

Line 569:

* [[Screw the Rules, I'm Beautiful]]: Paris Hilton in jail... complaining that the food wasn't good enough. And refusing to eat it. Sure it's bad, but everyone else has to eat it...Also behind the [[Double Standard]] regarding student/teacher affairs. If the teacher is female and hot, tends to get a lot more sympathy from media (and the kid will get "hi fives" from a lot of guys.) If the teacher is male, he's a monster.

* [[Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right]]: The only one here that isn't [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|cynical]].

* [[Sealed Evil in A Can]]: Any drug (legal or otherwise) with a serious potential for addiction or a fatal side effect.

* [[Sealed Evil in a Can]]: Any drug (legal or otherwise) with a serious potential for addiction or a fatal side effect.

* [[Seinfeldian Conversation]]: It is arguable that there is ''nothing'' more realistic than this trope. Indeed, an argument over that would be the perfect example. Absolutely ''any'' conversation will turn into this if entered in the middle.

* [[Self-Fulfilling Prophecy]]: There are many cases when it has happened. See the article.

Line 611:

* [[Suicide Attack]]: Kamikaze and suicide bombers.

* [[Super-Persistent Predator]]: Humans with their persistence hunting during the majority of the stone age.

* [[Sure Let's Go ~~With~~ That]]: You've said it and you know it.

* [[Sure, Let's Go with That]]: You've said it and you know it.

* [[Surrounded By Idiots]]: Everyone who's ever had a day job can attest to this. Or been in <s>Public</s> <s>High</s> School.

* [[Surrounded by Idiots]]: Everyone who's ever had a day job can attest to this. Or been in <s>Public</s> <s>High</s> School.

* [[Sweet Polly Oliver]]: Joan of Arc, Mulan (the REAL one).

* [[Tail Slap]]: Even horses can makes use of it to an extent. With elephants, it can be fatal.

Line 631:

* [[Those Two Guys]]: [[Those Two Guys]] are in every high school, workplace, band... anywhere one doesn't remember people by name.

* [[Time Capsule]]

* [[Tongue On the Flagpole]]: Yes, it does work. Check youtube if you don't believe it. Or, better yet, try it yourself! Be sure to carry come hot water with you, though.

* [[Tongue on the Flagpole]]: Yes, it does work. Check youtube if you don't believe it. Or, better yet, try it yourself! Be sure to carry come hot water with you, though.

* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: Everyone has met them at some point. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG_Vbh8arNM Rad Girls.] ([[NSFW]])

** The whole point behind the Darwin Awards website: [http://www.darwinawards.com/ darwinawards.com]

Line 663:

* [[Verbal Tic]]: It happens, just not with every single person. Francophone Canadians often say "lá" ("there") at the end of each sentence, Mexicans do the same with "wey" and "ese" ("dude" and "this", respectively), Argentinians start their phrases with "che", and Americans use "like", like, every five words. And not just, like, the [[Valley Girl]] types (thanks to MTV). [[Canada, Eh?|Most famously...]]

** It's become a pastime of many Canadians to use [[Canada, Eh?|their verbal tic]] when around Americans.

* [[Vindicated By History]]: More than a few people. There are several politicians who were widely hated during their term but are now fondly remembered by history books.

* [[Vindicated by History]]: More than a few people. There are several politicians who were widely hated during their term but are now fondly remembered by history books.

* [[Violation of Common Sense]]: Happens quite often in [[Real Life]].

* [[Violent Glaswegian]]: Glasgow is the murder capital of Western Europe.

Line 684:

* [[Whammy Bid]]

* [[What the Fu Are You Doing?]]: The usual result of someone trying to invoke [[I Know Mortal Kombat]]

* [[What the Heck Is An Aglet]]?: Cruciverbalists of the world have been through this all too much. Which is why there's a huge market for [http://www.amazon.com/Million-Word-Crossword-Dictionary/dp/0060517565 Crossword Puzzle-specific dictionaries].

* [[What the Heck Is An Aglet?]]?: Cruciverbalists of the world have been through this all too much. Which is why there's a huge market for [http://www.amazon.com/Million-Word-Crossword-Dictionary/dp/0060517565 Crossword Puzzle-specific dictionaries].

* [[Whoa, Bundy!]]

* [[Why Couldn't You Be Different?]]: Many parents of special needs children often feel this way, especially if it's their first child. This trope is why 4 out of 5 parents of autistic children divorce. Even if they don't outwardly say it to the degree it's portrayed in fiction, they often feel this way inside, because, yes, life ''would'' be a lot simpler and cheaper if their kid were different.

Line 704:

* [[Wounded Gazelle Gambit]]: Happens a fair bit online, more rarely but scarily in real life.

* [[Wretched Hive]]: Somalia. The slums of Rio in Brazil. Lagos. West Africa. A few very bad neighborhoods in the United States. Hell, look hard enough, and you ''will'' find them all over the world.

* [[Yiddish As a Second Language]]: What kind of schmuck needs this one explained, anyhow?

* [[Yiddish as a Second Language]]: What kind of schmuck needs this one explained, anyhow?

* [[You Can't Go Home Again]]: Examples can range from personal to those which affect the entire countries.

* [[You Can Panic Now]]: Locked-In Syndrome. <s>Global Warming</s> Climate change. Nuclear war. Leprosy. Jack the Ripper. ''The goblin's gonna getcha if you don't... watch... OUT!''