| rdfs:comment | - In works of fiction, characters tend to behave in a way that is largely exaggerated. However, sometimes the behavior of antagonists can fail to take into account laws, rules, and social conventions that exist in real life to prevent said behavior -- as well as simple logic. This is usually done to drive the story, and won't always be unheard of in real life (see also Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped and Reality Is Unrealistic), but the viewer is still left wondering why anyone would put up with this kind of nonsense, rather than going straight to the police and/or their lawyer (or, less idealistically, just popping the offender in the mouth).
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| abstract | - In works of fiction, characters tend to behave in a way that is largely exaggerated. However, sometimes the behavior of antagonists can fail to take into account laws, rules, and social conventions that exist in real life to prevent said behavior -- as well as simple logic. This is usually done to drive the story, and won't always be unheard of in real life (see also Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped and Reality Is Unrealistic), but the viewer is still left wondering why anyone would put up with this kind of nonsense, rather than going straight to the police and/or their lawyer (or, less idealistically, just popping the offender in the mouth). While some teachers clearly do get away with victimizing students and using abusive language, there are many instances in fiction in which said teachers would be treading on very thin ice at a lot of schools, particularly those in fear of litigation. Employment Law is a complex and tricky area, so you have to wonder how some abusive bosses are able to fire employees that just happen to disagree with them, and how some abusive employees have managed to keep their jobs for so long. This can get especially absurd in public services like the military. Judges on TV and in films seem to allow attorneys to act in a way that drives the narrative tension, even if their conduct in the courtroom should be contempt. Juries, meanwhile, seem to be persuaded by the cheapest of tricks. If anyone ever sat on a jury and heard a prosecutor cut off a defense witness who said "yes, he was there but..." just as she was about to elaborate on a key point, alarm bells would ring. And let's not even start regarding how people are traumatized beyond any recovery without a system of help or family network. Sometimes no one even disagrees with certain outlandish claims of superiority. Compare Refuge in Audacity, in which the reason the characters are able to get away with such blatantly outrageous behaviour is because, simply, their behaviour is too outrageous for anyone to believe. Compare also No Delays for the Wicked, and Never My Fault. Super-Trope to the Bunny Ears Lawyer -- the accomplished and competent character whose behavior would be too eccentric to tolerate if s/he weren't so very good at what s/he does. Examples of Fiction Isn't Fair include:
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