History JustForFun / TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs

* HollywoodSilencer: If you're thinking to pull some kind of quiet assassination with one (which is already pretty dangerous, evil, and stupid), think again. Apart from a few very carefully crafted military-grade silencers, most silencers are more accurately termed "suppressors" as their purpose is to lower the volume of gunshots in order to prevent hearing loss. (See also SteelEarDrums below.) Other than a few StupidCrooks, real-life criminals generally don't even bother using suppressors on their weapons, as they tend only to make the weapons shorter-ranged and less effective at killing the target. The only people actually likely to find civilian-grade and homemade "silencers" useful are people using their guns for self-defense.

* IncrediblyObviousBomb: Terrorist bombs (as opposed to say, dynamite used legally in mining and construction) and military land mines are usually ''engineered'' to not be obvious, because their effectiveness and fatality relies upon their not being detected until they explode. Nor do they generally tick. Odd smells, strange wires, and objects that are out of place or suspicious are far more likely to be a bomb. In the case of mines/minefields, if they are unmarked (and there are a variety of markings -- it is a very good idea to look these up before going to a possibly mined area), watch out for dead animals, damaged vehicles, avoided areas, and wires or suspicious ground formations. See also TimeBomb.

* TimeBomb: RealLife bombs are camouflaged and seldom, if ever, include a visible timer. Television bombs include a countdown [[RuleOfDrama to add tension]], and often include blinking lights to let the audience, and the heroes, know that it is a bomb they are looking at. See also IncrediblyObviousBomb.

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Abuse is ''abuse'', no matter who it involves. The same applies to DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale, DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale, and DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnFemale.

* MenActWomenAre: The idea that women deserve punishment for not being "beautiful" or "delicate" or "passive" enough ([[MyGirlIsNotASlut including sexually]]), or that their actions/inactions reflect on the men in their lives (and thus those men need to punish or dispose of them to restore their good name) leads to DomesticAbuse, bullying, SlutShaming, and HonorRelatedAbuse. It also puts pressure on men to act as leaders, even if they don't want to or aren't suited for it, and shames men for not doing so.
* MenAreStrongWomenArePretty: Punishes both for not being "strong" enough, or not being "pretty" enough, and encourages going to extreme measures to achieve socially-accepted levels of "strong"/"pretty".

* ScienceIsWrong, ScienceIsBad, ScienceIsUseless: Unless you want to be scammed, or risk your life with quackery, it is important to trust those who study science, and take their advice seriously.

* SmokingIsCool: The portrayal of smoking (along with ''too'' {{anvilicious}} ''anti-smoking'' messages, which run directly into ''becoming'' these tropes by [[StealthCigaretteCommercial turning tobacco into]] ForbiddenFruit) as cool unfortunately have the tendency to encourage young people to smoke and therefore take on all of the risks to life and health that tobacco smoking poses.
* SmokingIsGlamorous: The portrayal of smoking (along with ''too'' {{anvilicious}} ''anti-smoking'' messages, which run directly into ''becoming'' these tropes by [[StealthCigaretteCommercial turning tobacco into]] ForbiddenFruit) as beautiful unfortunately have the tendency to encourage young people to smoke and therefore take on all of the risks to life and health that tobacco smoking poses.

* AllMenArePerverts: Makes it harder for men to get help or support in the event of a rape, and is used by rapists/rape apologists to say that it's natural (i.e. that a man has "needs," or can't help it), or that the victim was "asking for it" or provoking the rapist in some way.
* AllWomenAreLustful: Makes it harder for women to get help or support in the event of a rape, and is used by rapists/rape apologists to say that it's natural (i.e. that a woman has "needs," or can't help it), or that the victim was "asking for it" or provoking the rapist in some way.
* AlmostLethalWeapons: It's extremely hard to inflict minor wounds on someone with a lethal weapon. Note that tasers, tear gas / pepper spray, and bean-bag shot are explicitly marketed as "less-lethal" and not "non-lethal", since using them improperly or under the wrong conditions can make them very much lethal. Tasers specifically can ''kill'' with a shot to or nearby the heart, just like any electric shock to the heart. Or you get tased, fall down, and hit your head on something and die. Many electric-shock injuries are of this "indirect" kind; your defective power drill doesn't do you fatal damage, but when the shock causes you to leap off the ladder you're standing on...

* BearyFriendly: Needless to say, BearsAreBadNews is often more TruthInTelevision. Bears are incredibly dangerous animals that will brutally maim and kill any humans who do anything to [[UnstoppableRage make them angry]] (or occasionally, if the bear just feels [[ToServeMan hungry enough to try taking humans as food]]). Bear cubs may look cute and cuddly, but MamaBear isn't, and she will savagely attack whoever gets too close to her kids. Even {{Panda|ingToTheAudience}}s, who are largely herbivorous and not quite as aggressive as other species, are still very capable of badly mauling people.

* PieIntheFace: Even throwing non-dangerous objects at people is considered assault. While you might be able to get away with this sort of thing with a friend or family member, you should never try it on a stranger.

* EvilIsCool: Violent crime is absolutely ''not'' a cool thing to do in RealLife, and even nonviolent crimes such as theft/fraud can carry a risk of arrest or being caught, which could lead to violence. Most real-life violent criminals tend to act like a DirtyCoward by threatening to shoot someone unless they do what they say. That victim could probably be you, who probably just lost their most valuable possessions and at worst, was robbed blind by them, severely injured, or even has lost a very close person to criminal violence. Also, committing any type of crime, violent or not, places you at risk for arrest in most societies, and violent actions also risk the danger of violence in return from both police and from people defending their right to live or their possessions from you. Furthermore, in the long term, alienating yourself from others and being stigmatized as untrustworthy/criminal puts you at risk for the health risks of ostracism, depression, and loneliness, regardless of whether you can consciously feel lonely or not.

* ForcefulKiss: This can be considered sexual harassment or even sexual assault, particularly if the kisser is male due to DoubleStandard

* VegetarianCarnivore: No, your cat cannot eat a strictly vegan diet. All felids are obligate carnivores, meaning they physically require certain amino acids in their diet which cannot be obtained from plants. If you can't bear the thought of having to break your own personal rules for your pet's survival, then either buy an animal that doesn't eat meat, or just don't get a pet at all.

Fiction is not reality. While fiction rarely shows the [[DeconstructedTrope negative consequences of a trope]], reality is not as forgiving. Every trope here can have serious if not fatal repercussions in reality if people treat them as if they were true. These may originate as a case of RealityIsUnrealistic. See also DoNotTryThisAtHome, JustForFun/ThingsWeHaveLearntFromMedia, ThingsAreMoreEffectiveInHollywood and TVTropesWillRuinYourLife. The result of doing something on this index may well be a Website/{{Darwin Award|s}}.

Fiction is not reality. While fiction rarely shows the [[DeconstructedTrope negative consequences of a trope]], reality is not as forgiving. Every trope here can have serious if not fatal repercussions in {{reality|Ensues}} if people treat them as if they were true. These may originate as a case of RealityIsUnrealistic. See also DoNotTryThisAtHome, JustForFun/ThingsWeHaveLearntFromMedia, ThingsAreMoreEffectiveInHollywood and TVTropesWillRuinYourLife. The result of doing something on this index may well be a Website/{{Darwin Award|s}}.

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: When it comes to non-human primates, juveniles might be harmless, but ManiacMonkeys is ''very much'' TruthInTelevision for adults. Fully-grown monkeys and apes are territorial, aggressive, unpredictable and much stronger than the average adult human. This combination makes these animals very dangerous. Additionally, monkeys and apes can pass on diseases to humans. These are the two main reasons that many countries ban them as pets.

* HerbivoresAreFriendly: Most creatures are territorial, and many prey animals possess deadly defensive mechanisms so that they can protect themselves from predators. While carnivores can certainly be scary for a lot of good reasons, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant#Attacks most]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_buffalo#Relationship_with_humans dangerous]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus#Aggression animals]] in the world are in fact herbivores.

* VegetarianCarnivore: No, your cat or dog won't survive or be at its best on a vegan diet. Both of them are obligate carnivores, even if you aren't. If you can't bear the thought of having to break your own personal rules for your pet's survival, then either buy an animal that ''doesn't'' eat meat, or just don't get a pet at all.

* GroinAttack: The staple of most comedy films is a man ''amusingly'' taking a shot to the groin from an angry spouse, a high fall, a ball, a bat or a thousand other different things with no injuries other than clutching himself in pain for a bit before recovering completely. In real life, even moderate injuries to the testicles can cause permanent damage that may result in the removal of the testicle or sterility. It is also in no way the instant ''off'' button for a fight that movies often make it out to be, especially when adrenaline is taken into account. Hitting your opponent in the groin in a fight runs the risk of merely pissing off your attacker as opposed to defeating him.

* BeatBag: Trying to pass off something innocuous for something illegal and coveted can get you in ''a lot'' of trouble. If your customer/client finds out you ripped them off, they are going to be (justifiably) angry, and may get violent. And, yes, it is also illegal.

* CheekCopy: It involves sitting on fragile glass, with fragile body parts right near machinery and electrical wires. It's not worth the joke. Not to mention, a lot of pre-digital photocopiers can burn skin, making sitting down quite uncomfortable for a while.

* CorporalPunishment: It has recently been discovered that spanking children leads to a decrease in gray matter in the brain, as well as trauma, and that adults who were spanked as children have higher rates of DomesticAbuse (presumably because [[NiceJobBreakingItHero they learned from an early age that hitting someone is the way to get what you want, or that hitting someone is OK]].)

* DrunkDriver: You might laugh at such videos on [=YouTube=], but a real person, or people, got fucked up when it happened, either driver, passenger(s), other drivers, or all of the above, not to mention you could cause significant property damage or even kill someone if you get behind the wheel while intoxicated. In some countries, this is a criminal offense, so even if you don't cause any damage, you risk losing your driver's license or even going to jail if caught.

* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: Pretty much ''no one'' who makes the decision to abort makes that decision lightly. They don't do it because they're depraved, or irresponsible, but rather because they see it as the best or only way out of a no-win situation. (e.g. [[ButWeUsedACondom a birth control failure]], [[ChildByRape rape or incest]], problems that make it unlikely for the child to have a normal life or even live for long after birth, financial hardship, an abusive relationship, etc.) Furthermore, in places where this trope is in full effect, and abortion is highly restricted or not legal, it results in people determined to have one going to {{Back Alley Doctor}}s or worse, [[SelfSurgery doing it themselves at home]]. It also results in (or exacerbates) HonorRelatedAbuse, DomesticAbuse, TeenPregnancy, ParentalAbandonment, and even people being imprisoned for ''having a miscarriage''.

* OldManMarryingAChild: Women (and men) who were married as children or teens report higher rates of DomesticAbuse, are more likely to remain in poverty (as their education and thus opportunity are disrupted), and are more likely to report TheirFirstTime as [[SexualHarassmentAndRapeTropes unwanted or forced]]. They are also more likely to run into complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and less likely to have adequate care, and also more likely to have many closely-spaced pregnancies, which can lead to DeathByChildbirth, injury, infertility, and disease. Not to mention, that the marriage is usually decided for the child or teen in question, and they have no ability to refuse or back out. (Either they don't know where they can turn for help, or have nowhere to turn, or have been [[HonorRelatedAbuse threatened with death or disownment]] if they do.)
* OneDoseFitsAll: Anaesthesiology is so complex because anaesthesiologists have to take numerous factors into account when administering anaesthetics, including a person's sex, mass, build, constitution etc. (not to mention their species: a tranquilliser meant for humans will affect a dog quite differently). A dose of a sedative that safely knocks one person out could easily kill if administered to a person with a different build, etc. This likewise applies to other kinds of drugs, including medicines -- a dosage of a medicine that cures one person's ailments could cause drastic side effects if administered to someone of a different build, mass or constitution.

* RadiographOfDoom: Mammograms, [=MRI=]s, ultrasounds, Pap smears, etc. will sometimes pick up something that ''looks'' really ominous and scary...but is either a benign tumor (i.e. one that ''won't'' kill you), or isn't cancer at all. This is called a false positive, and the more often you have screenings, the more likely you are to have one. Furthermore, even if that anomaly ''does'' turn out to be a tumor, none of these screenings can distinguish between different types of tumors: some types of cancer spread and kill very quickly, others take a lot longer, others grow rapidly for a while then stop, and still others are "benign" tumors that don't spread and don't cause that much disruption in the body. So someone can end up with the wrong kind of treatment for their cancer, or getting chemo/radiation/surgery/all of the above that they don't need. Not to mention the psychological/emotional (and, in some cases, financial) impact on patients and their families. Many cancer organizations now advocate starting "routine" screenings later in life and having them less often, for people who are of low to moderate risk based on their personal and family medical history.

* VigilanteMan: Trying to punish criminals by acting outside the law is still very much a crime in and of itself. Not to mention that because morality is such a subjective concept, using extreme measures like (potentially [[VigilanteExecution lethal]]) violence can wind up being very {{disproportionate| retribution}} to whatever the (real or perceived) offense was in the first place. Worst of all is the possibility of a '''completely innocent''' person being harmed as a result of merely being ''falsely accused'' of committing a serious crime ([[ValuesDissonance racist lynchings in American history]] are just one kind of horrifying example of how vigilantism can go wrong).

* HollywoodPersonalityDisorders: The Hollywood portrayal makes it harder and more stigmatized for people to reach out for help. Or, their issues go unrecognized because they don't fit the Hollywood portrayal.

* StrayShotsStrikeNothing: Just because a bullet doesn't hit its target doesn't mean it goes away -- even ignoring property damage, hundreds are injured or killed every year by gunfire that wasn't aimed at them.

* InstantEmergencyResponse: In most moderate-sized cities, fire and police response is around four to five minutes with EMS being around six. In major urban areas add a few more minutes. In sparse rural areas and/or during a busy night or disaster, times of 20 minutes to an hour ''even for immediate situations'' are not unknown. The ''only'' time instant emergency response happens is due to luck. This is to say, outside of the U.K., a nation with such good foresight that it's not unusual for emergency services to respond in literally a minute. It is why learning at least basic first aid is a very good idea no matter where you are, and why it's always a good idea to call for help sooner than later (e.g. it's better to have the police on their way while the burglar is trying the door handles than when they've smashed the window and are inside, and better to have the fire department on the way when you first smell smoke/burning rather than when the room is about to be fully engulfed in flames). It's also one of the more contentious issues in the gun control debate.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Regardless of gender, it's ''very'' stupid and dangerous to fall in love with an unrepentant, violent criminal, especially if they're {{sociopath}}ic by nature. In real life, this is a mental disorder known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybristophilia hybristophilia]]. Also see EvilIsCool / EvilIsSexy way down below.

%%* AlbinosAreFreaks: Stigma against albinism has been incredibly damaging in places such as medieval Europe and present-day Africa, where albinos have been [[BurnTheWitch harassed, attacked, or even murdered under the belief that they are witches]]. Also in Africa (specifically UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}, which has the highest rate of albinism in the world), [[HumanResources body parts from albinistic humans]] are sold for use in magical rituals, and it's believed that sex with an albino woman will cure someone of HIV, leading to rape and subsequent HIV infection.

* EvilAlbino: Stigma against albinism has been incredibly damaging in places such as medieval Europe and present-day Africa, where albinos have been [[BurnTheWitch harassed, attacked, or even murdered under the belief that they are witches]]. Also in Africa (specifically UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}, which has the highest rate of albinism in the world), [[HumanResources body parts from albinistic humans]] are sold for use in magical rituals, and it's believed that sex with an albino woman will cure someone of HIV, leading to rape and subsequent HIV infection.

* DracoInLeatherPants / MonsterFangirl: Regardless of gender, it's ''very'' stupid and dangerous to fall in love with an unrepentant, violent criminal, especially if they're {{sociopath}}ic by nature. In real life, this is a mental disorder known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybristophilia hybristophilia]]. Also see EvilIsCool / EvilIsSexy way down below.

* UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming: Makes it harder for victims of rape/mugging/other crime or misfortune to come forward or get the help and support they need...and leads to criminals getting to play KarmaHoudini and get off scot-free.

* CourtroomAntics: Can ''easily'' get a lawyer reprimanded or disbarred, and may even put the defendant in even more hot water.

* AllMenArePerverts or AllWomenAreLustful: Makes it harder for members of the "perverted/lustful" gender to get help or support in the event of a rape, and is used by rapists/rape apologists to say that it's natural (i.e. that a man/woman has "needs," or can't help it), or that the victim was "asking for it" or provoking the rapist in some way.

* {{Bambification}} / TheMarvelousDeer: Deer are among the most dangerous animals of the forest. They gore with their antlers, break bones by kicking, and can become blindly aggressive during mating season. Also see HerbivoresAreFriendly way down below.

* EvilIsCool / EvilIsSexy: Violent crime is absolutely ''not'' a cool thing to do in RealLife, and even nonviolent crimes such as theft/fraud can carry a risk of arrest or being caught, which could lead to violence. Most real life violent criminals tend to act like a DirtyCoward by threatening to shoot someone unless they do what they say. That victim could probably be you, who probably just lost their most valuable possessions and at worst, was robbed blind by them, severely injured, or even has lost a very close person to criminal violence. Also, committing any type of crime, violent or not, places you at risk for arrest in most societies, and violent actions also risk the danger of violence in return from both police and from people defending their right to live or their possessions from you. Furthermore, in the long term, alienating yourself from others and being stigmatized as untrustworthy/criminal puts you at risk for the health risks of ostracism, depression and loneliness, regardless if whether you can consciously feel lonely or not.

* SmokingIsCool[=/=]SmokingIsGlamorous: These portrayals of smoking (along with ''too'' {{anvilicious}} ''anti-smoking'' messages, which run directly into ''becoming'' these tropes by [[StealthCigaretteCommercial turning tobacco into]] ForbiddenFruit) unfortunately have the tendency to encourage young people to smoke and therefore take on all of the risks to life and health that tobacco smoking poses.