| abstract | - Classic scenario: Alice is kidnapped. The kidnappers contact Bob, who is the legal guardian/spouse/caretaker/someone who should care about Alice and explain they are holding her for ransom. However, Bob has no intention of paying. Either he flat out doesn't care, he doesn't think that much money is worth it or considers the kidnappers to have done him a favor. The fact that the kidnapped party may die does not faze him in the least. Of course, karmic justice normally ends up biting him in the ass. May end in a Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth situation if the kidnapped party really is THAT annoying -- see Pity the Kidnapper. A small variation of this would be Bob not taking the kidnapping seriously, seeing as Alice has previously faked similar attempts as a cry for attention. Unfortunately, this time it's for real and the Crying Wolf principle applies... See also Shoot the Hostage, for cases where disregard for the threatened party is more proactive and immediate. For a more straight Super-Trope of this, see also Threat Backfire. Examples of You Can Keep Her include:
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