History Main / BrokenSystemDogmatist

A social, religious, automated, or financial system once thought infallible has fallen into disrepair or abused by those at the top, where loopholes have been found that benefit them, and only them. However, ''both'' sides (those who benefit, and those who do not) still may be affected by this broken system, and yet praise how well it works. They may be under BigBrotherIsWatching surveillance, the abuse they face from others might be what is keeping them from speaking out, they may be brainwashed, they really are disillusioned and are hiding it, or they may even just ignore it because of the power that they already have or because they are that spiteful. They may even be so wrapped up in how "effective" this System is, from before, that they may not realize how flawed it ''really'' is. If they are convinced enough from an outside source, they may change their minds about it. Other times, they may be so steadfast in their beliefs that there's no way to convince them otherwise. At best, they will acknowledge that some problems are InherentInTheSystem, but insist that said problems are merely a [[NecessarilyEvil necessary evil]] and that any alternative to the status quo would be even worse, or even claim that there are no alternatives at all.

* ''Film/AFewGoodMen'': Crossing over with TheNeidermeyer: Marine Pvt. William Santiago is killed in a hazing incident after two others are sent to his barrack to toughen him up. Santiago had poor relations with the other Marines, and his commanding officer, Cmdr. Col. Nathaniel Jessup (played by Jack Nicholson) seems full of himself. Jessup claims Santiago was to be transferred to another unit the next day, thus keeping him out of trouble. During the court martial, a whole tangle of events ensue, including a commanding officer committing suicide out of shame for Santiago's death. When Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), the prosecuting lawyer, [[SpottingTheThread discovers contradictions in Jessup's testimony]][[note]]If Jessup claimed before that Santiago was not in danger, why was Santiago being transferred for his own safety? '''''and...''''' If Santiago ''was'' set to be transferred, why were his clothing, belongings, and luggage not packed and prepared the night before to leave the next day?[[/note]], Jessup starts to undergo a VillainousBreakdown, where [[GeneralRipper he angrily spouts off about how important he is to the chain of command, and that America needs him, in order to protect the country from its enemies.]]

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their PonziScheme wouldn't collapse) and is about to fall. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means that the Western Allies (Britain, France, the US and others) will do it instead. The Allied Powers won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the ''Führerbunker'' simply because there are so few troops left outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the end, to the point of committing suicide rather than surrendering to the Allies.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E16WhenTheBoughBreaks When the Bough Breaks]]": Mixed in with ApathyKilledTheCat; the society of the legendary planet of Aldea (which has been cloaked to outsiders) has been steadily deteriorating for many years. [[TerminallyDependentSociety They had decided to rely solely on their ancestors' technology]], allowing their culture to [[ModernStasis stagnate]] while their scientists forgot everything about how it all worked. Unfortunately, it turns out the cloaking device they've used to hide from the universe [[ToxicPhlebotinum has been slowly depleting the ozone layer]]. The inciting incident of the episode, a mass-kidnapping of children from the Enterprise, turns out to be in response to a SterilityPlague brought on by acute ultraviolet radiation sickness. When Radue, the leader of Aldea, is confronted with Dr. Crusher's explanation, he refuses to believe her, claiming their scientists would have told them if something had gone wrong. When his wife Rashella tries to listen, Radue instead angrily cuts off the conversation and attempts to force the away team to transport back to the ship. Eventually, Radue and the rest of the Aldeans are forced to realize that they are indeed being affected.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E4WhoWatchesTheWatchers Who Watches The Watchers?]]": Subverted in that this belief system had no real legitimate basis before it even hit the ground: When Federation technology malfunctions on the Bronze-Age planet Mintaka III, a local by the name of Liko is seriously injured and Dr. Crusher instinctively brings him aboard the Enterprise to save his life. When Liko awakens on the Enterprise, he [[MistakenForSuperpowered becomes convinced]] [[TouchedByVorlons that he has been resurrected by the gods]] and brings this new religion to his people when his memory-wipe fails to take hold. [[TakeAThirdOption With no other options left, Picard brings another Mintakan named Nuria aboard]] [[ClarkesThirdLaw to reveal the Federation's true nature to the Mintakans]]. Liko remains fanatically devoted to his new perspective, interpreting harsh weather as punishment from “the Picard” and, when Picard beams down to [[StopWorshippingMe try and clear everything up]], begging him to bring back his dead wife. Unwilling to hear Nuria’s arguments, Liko tries to "prove" Picard’s godhood with his bow and arrow, and it’s not until he sees Picard’s blood on Nuria’s fingers that he snaps out of it.

* ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'': On a smaller scale, the story "To Catch a Butterfly" is revealed to be this at the end. A new-neighbor couple moves in next door to a family of a father, mother, and young boy. However, the child quickly starts showing psychopathic tendencies to them, including killing their dog, running a tripwire across a staircase that almost breaks the neck of the neighbor's wife, and even attempting to use an electric drill on her. When the husband has had enough, it turns out that the young boy's father has been sticking to strict parenting teetering on the edge of abuse,[[note]]even showing ToughLove by touching the boy's hand to a hot stovetop heating element when the boy ignores the father's warnings about it.[[/note]] and angrily extols that it was the perfect (as well as the ''only'') solution in his view since the boy has since been seemingly well-behaved from his POV. What makes him less sympathetic, however, is that he has been showing more love to his own well-kept roadster car than his own son. In actuality, the boy has been repressing his feelings and releasing them through inhuman acts, the final straw of which is the boy setting the roadster car's garage on fire. After the situation is stabilized and safe, the parents send the boy away to get psychological help.

* ''Series/TheOrville'': In "[[Recap/TheOrvilleS1E07MajorityRule Majority Rule]]", the ''Orville'' visits a planet where two anthropologists have gone missing. They are found lobotomized, courtesy of the local justice system. All punishment and societal decisions are managed through public opinion/absolute democracy (upvotes and downvotes). This system is the only thing keeping this society alive, and no-one has questioned the problems inherent in it out of fear that dissent could ruin their lives. After John [=LaMarr=] is recorded performing a dirty dance on a statue of a historical public figure, he is ostracized by the entire planet and forced onto an apology tour. The tour goes disastrously as no amount of apology or attempts to be friendly have any effect in mitigating the public’s anger, with some attempts even being maliciously interpreted as attack.

* ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'': On a smaller scale, the story "To Catch A Butterfly" is revealed to be this at the end: A new-neighbor couple moves in next door to a family of a father, mother, and young boy. However, the child quickly starts showing psychotic tendencies to them, including killing their dog, running a tripwire across a staircase that almost breaks the neck of the neighbor's wife, and even attempting to use an electric drill on her. When the husband has had enough, it turns out that the young boy's father has been sticking to strict parenting teetering on the edge of abuse [[note]]even showing ToughLove by touching the boy's hand to a hot stovetop heating element when the boy ignores the father's warnings about it.[[/note]], and angrily extols that it was the perfect (as well as the ''only'') solution in his view since the boy has since been seemingly well-behaved from his POV. What makes him less sympathetic, however, is that he has been showing more love to his own well-kept roadster car than his own son. In actuality, the boy has been repressing his feelings and releasing them through inhuman acts, the final straw of which is the boy setting the roadster car's garage on fire. After the situation is stabilized and safe, the parents send the boy away to get psychological help.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'' - Psi Cop Alfred Bester keeps extolling the virtues of [[MutantDraftBoard Psi Corps]] ''even after helping the heroes expose a plot within the Corps''. Several Minbari hold to the traditions of the Grey Council until it's broken by Delenn due to its inaction during the Shadow War. [[spoiler:The Vorlons and the Shadows continue to ask the same {{Armor Piercing Question}}s to the younger races, even though they can no longer answer them.]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'', "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E4TheSunMakers The Sun Makers]]": The [[KnowNothingKnowItAll snooty]], [[FauxAffablyEvil arrogant]], [[CampGay foppish]], [[TheQuisling boot-licking]], and [[EvilDebtCollector completely disconnected character]] of Gatherer Hade to a tee. Hade presides over a NightmarishFactory of a planet where everything from medicine to breathing the air is subject to [[MovingTheGoalposts an ever-increasing tax]] and heavy fines for ostensible offenses such as ‘loitering’. When the Doctor and Leela spearhead a rebellion, the mysterious [[MorallyBankruptBanker Collector]] running the whole operation sets a reward of 5000 talmars for their capture, which Gatherer Hade praises as an excellent strategy, only for the Collector to metaphorically backstab Hade by taking the reward money out of ''his'' income! Though Hade exclaims in protest, he fails to reject the system, and instead attempts to capture the Doctor himself to keep his pocketbook safe. As an accessory to oppression, [[LaserGuidedKarma Hade exits the story via several-kilometer drop off a skyscraper when trying to stop the rebels from loitering in the sun]].
** When Cordo tries to pay the ever-increasing taxes:
--->'''Hade:''' Fortunately, as the Gatherer, I have certain powers. [[BadNewsInAGoodWay I will encourage your supervisor to allow you increased output]].\\

'''Hade:''' Twenty-one hours a week. [[InsaneTrollLogic You must manage without sleep time until the debt is paid.]]\\

'''(beat)'''\\

'''Cordo:''' ''(exasperated and downtrodden)'' Praise the Company.\\

* ''Series/TheOrville'', "[[Recap/TheOrvilleS1E07MajorityRule Majority Rule]]": The ''Orville'' visits a planet where two anthropologists have gone missing. They are found lobotomized, courtesy of the local justice system. All punishment and societal decisions are managed through public opinion/absolute democracy (upvotes and downvotes). This system is the only thing keeping this society alive, and no-one has questioned the problems inherent in it out of fear that dissent could ruin their lives. After John [=LaMarr=] is recorded performing a dirty dance on a statue of a historical public figure, he is ostracized by the entire planet and forced onto an apology tour. The tour goes disastrously as no amount of apology or attempts to be friendly have any effect in mitigating the public’s anger, with some attempts even being maliciously interpreted as attack.

** The Imperium's rigid belief system that forbids a lot of freedoms is unfortunately necessary, as the Chaos gods are empowered not by belief in them but by emotion: feeling rage, hope, despair or desire strengthens them.

Because of the opinionated political implications of this trope, '''''[[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease no real-life governmental/political examples, PLEASE!]]'''''

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E4WhoWatchesTheWatchers Who Watches The Watchers?]]": Subverted in that this belief system had no real legitimate basis before it even hit the ground: When Federation technology malfunctions on the Bronze-Age planet Mintaka III, a local by the name of Liko is seriously injured and Dr. Crusher instinctively brings him aboard the Enterprise to save his life. When Liko awakens on the Enterprise, he [[MistakenForSuperpowered becomes convinced]] [[TouchedByVorlons that he has been resurrected by the gods]] and brings this new religion to his people when his memory-wipe fails to take hold. [[TakeAThirdOption With no other options left, Picard brings another Mintakan named Nuria aboard]] [[ClarkesThirdLaw to reveal the Federation's true nature to the Mintakans]], and that he is just as mortal as they are, nothing more. Liko remains fanatically devoted to his new perspective, interpreting harsh weather as punishment from “the Picard” and, when Picard beams down to [[StopWorshippingMe try and clear everything up]], begging him to bring back his dead wife. Unwilling to hear Nuria’s arguments, Liko tries to "prove" Picard’s godhood with his bow and arrow, and it’s not until he sees Picard’s blood on Nuria’s fingers that he snaps out of it.
---->'''Nuria:''' Picard speaks the truth. I have visited his people. I have seen how they live and how they die. When death takes one of their loved ones, they are as helpless as we are!\\
'''Liko:''' Then,... how was I brought back to life?!\\
'''Nuria:''' Liko, you were not dead. Picard's people have a knowledge that we lack. They're able to heal wounds that we cannot.\\
'''Liko:''' ''NO!'' No... He ''can'' bring back the dead! Show them, Picard! You can bring back... ...my wife to me.\\
'''Picard:''' I cannot.\\
'''Liko:''' Why? Why won't you do this for me? Have I failed you in some way? Are you angry with me?\\
'''Picard:''' I'm not angry with you.\\
'''Liko:''' Well, then I beg you! ''Bring her back to me!'' ''(kneels in front of Picard)'' I will... give you ''my'' life in exchange! '''Please!''' Take back what you gave me! ''Give it to her! Let'' '''''her''''' ''live!''\\
'''Picard:''' ''(exasperated)'' It is beyond my power!\\
'''Liko:''' '''Nothing is beyond your power!''' '''''You are the Overseer! I WILL PROVE IT!''''' ''(goes to prepare his bow and arrow)''

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E16WhenTheBoughBreaks When the Bough Breaks]]": Mixed in with ApathyKilledTheCat; the society of the legendary planet of Aldea (which has been cloaked to outsiders) has been steadily deteriorating for many years. They had decided to rely solely on their ancestors' computer and machinery systems and pursue an artistic form of culture. Unfortunately, their way of repopulating the planet involves abducting children from the Enterprise, with exchange of knowledge being appropriate compensation in their eyes. When Radue, the leader of Aldea, is confronted, Dr. Crusher tries to explain that the shielding and machinery that they have used is what is poisoning their people and causing their culture to stagnate and die off. Radue does not believe her, claiming that their scientists would have told them of any problems ...except their scientists have basically forgotten how everything works on their planet. When his wife Rashella tries to listen, Radue instead angrily cuts off the conversation and attempts to force the away team to transport back to the ship. Eventually, Radue and the rest of the Aldeans are forced to realize that they are indeed being affected.
---->'''Rashella:''' Instead of the children being our hope, what if we're just condemning them to our fate?\\
'''Radue:''' Rashella, they're just protecting their own interests.\\
'''Rashella:''' As are we. But hear them out. The Captain and Doctor Crusher are saying that the very thing which has given us this wonderful world is what has caused this tragedy.\\
'''Picard:''' That's it. Exactly. [[EasilySwayedPopulation Your Custodian has controlled you so completely you've lost even the desire to even question it.]]\\
'''Radue:''' ''Lies! And the discussion is'' '''over!'''

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E4WhoWatchesTheWatchers Who Watches The Watchers?]]": Subverted in that this belief system had no real legitimate basis before it even hit the ground: When Federation technology malfunctions on the Bronze-Age planet Mintaka III, a local by the name of Liko is seriously injured and Dr. Crusher instinctively brings him aboard the Enterprise to save his life. When Liko awakens on the Enterprise, he [[MistakenForSuperpowered becomes convinced]] [[TouchedByVorlons that he has been resurrected by the gods]] and brings this new religion to his people when his memory-wipe fails to take hold. [[TakeAThirdOption Picard, with no other moral options left in the Prime Directive, brings one of the other inhabitants, Nuria, on-board]], [[ClarkesThirdLaw to show that he and the Federation are simply travelers with advanced knowledge and tools that the Mintakans do not yet have]], and that he is just as mortal as they are, nothing more. Liko remains fanatically devoted to his new perspective, interpreting harsh weather as punishment from “the Picard” and, when Picard beams down to [[StopWorshippingMe try and clear everything up]], begging him to bring back his dead wife. Unwilling to hear Nuria’s arguments, Liko tries to "prove" Picard’s godhood with his bow and arrow, and it’s not until he sees Picard’s blood on Nuria’s fingers that he snaps out of it.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E15Paradise Paradise]]": [[SpaceAmish A colony of humans have been stranded on a planet for years, without technology]], and yet they eschew all forms of it. Furthermore, their justice system has been strict and ruthless (not to the point of killing, but still psychologically damaging). With their rejection of technology, they rely on natural medicine rather than the more-reliable technological advancements of the Federation; not that it would do any good, as the planet seems to have mineral deposits that cause any tricorders, communication devices, or technological tools to not work. Thus, all technology previously used has been discarded by the colonists. Unfortunately, a girl in the colony has been stung by one of the planet's native insects, and even with their "best" ideas about natural herbal medicine (similar to faith-healing), the girl dies. Furthermore, their leader and her son are adamant, brusquely rejecting all talk of advanced technology. Any offenders who disrespect their way of life, [[AllCrimesAreEqual even for simple crimes]], are placed in a dark metal box that is cramped and left out in the sun. O'Brien is considered an offender when he tries to contact their Runabout in-orbit [[note]]presumably to get medical supplies from the Runabout[[/note]] when the time "wasted" trying to get supplies could have been put to "more productive use", but she does not punish him, instead opting to [[IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure punish Sisko instead, as he is O'Brien's commanding officer]]. She later tries to bribe a hot and weakened Sisko with water and food if he forgets his old life and becomes one of their people. [[DefiantToTheEnd He rejects her offer]] by [[WouldRatherSuffer climbing back into the box himself]]. Eventually, O'Brien discovers that the technology-disabling effect is caused by a large projection device, and that the leader of the colony as well as her son have betrayed the colonists by stranding them there in the first place. They both arrest the leader and the son, but the colonists actually decide to stay and happily continue their way of life, possibly even their way of justice too, rather than leave and find more freedom to live off-planet, despite the fact that their living system was based on a lie, has many flaws, and their leader is actually an EvilLuddite, with a major dose of AlphaBitch, to boot.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E11TheHunted The Hunted]]": On the planet Angosia III, the planetary government, which is trying to apply for Federation Membership, turns out to be abusing its war veterans. [[SuperSoldier Simply put, they are trained, medicated, and essentially programmed to be the perfect soldier]]. However, their government effectively shunned them after they returned, because they could not readjust to a previously normal life. [[ReflexiveResponse A trigger from an argument or a perceived danger could activate their deadly guerrilla tactics, especially when not intended]]. Thus the government placed them in facilities with all the amenities one could ever want.[[note]]read: a GildedCage[[/note]] When the Enterprise gets involved, they are forced (as the Prime Minister of Angosia claims "This is a matter of internal security [so don't poke your nose around where it doesn't belong]") to help bring one of the soldiers, Roga Danar, back to the complex, but through tactical trickery, Danar escapes and commandeers a transport, freeing more of his brethren. An away team of Picard, Troi, Worf, and Data all beam down and confront the government officials, who never intended to seriously cure the soldiers. The trope is invoked when, no matter what, the officials keep throwing the argument "It was the will of the people", back in their face as if it means something.[[note]]a slight implication being that it was actually the government's will, not the people[[/note]] At that point the soldiers arrive, demanding to be reintegrated into society and brought back home to their families. The Prime Minister says [[OutOfSightOutOfMind they will consider it if they return to the complex]]. They reject his offer, already distrusting because of their previous treatment. In a brazen act of hypocrisy, the Minister asks Picard for help.[[note]]presumably for armed security from the Enterprise[[/note]] Picard and the away team decides at that point that they've seen enough from the hypocritical Angosian government, telling them "[[IronicEcho In your own words, this is not our affair]]", [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere and they simply leave]], respecting the soldiers' freedom to choose their own future against the government.
*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E4WhoWatchesTheWatchers Who Watches The Watchers?]]": Subverted in that this belief system already had no real legitimate basis before it even hit the ground: a Federation "duck blind" on a Bronze-Age planet, Mintaka III, experiences a major malfunction that threatens to affect the cultural development of the inhabitants. One of the Mintakans, Liko, is injured when he is electrocuted by an electrified wall and is further seriously injured and knocked unconscious by falling off a ledge from the shock. Dr. Crusher instinctively leaves the duck blind to treat him and brings him aboard the Enterprise to save his life. Picard does not take well to this. While being treated in sickbay, Liko awakens in a daze, automatically assuming from the lighting and sleek aesthetic that he has been taken to the afterlife, and he sees Picard as a god. Crusher attempts to erase his memory, but it is unsuccessful, and the roots of a new religious movement begin to sprout in the village where Liko lives. [[TakeAThirdOption Picard, with no other moral options left in the Prime Directive, brings one of the other inhabitants, Nuria, on-board]], [[ClarkesThirdLaw to show that he and the Federation are simply travelers with advanced knowledge and tools that the Mintakans do not yet have]], and that he is just as mortal as they are, nothing more. When Liko becomes fanatical during a strong freak thunderstorm on the planet's surface[[note]]interpreting the storm as a sign of anger from "The Picard" for not keeping one of the Federation scientists captive earlier in the episode[[/note]], the trope is invoked when he is unconvinced about Picard's lack of godly power. When Picard beams down, Liko tries to genuflect before Picard, claiming that he ''can'' bring back the dead[[note]]wanting his wife, who drowned in a flood the previous year, to be resurrected[[/note]]. A diverted arrow to Picard's shoulder, and Nuria showing his blood on her fingers, is what finally snaps him out of it.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'', "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E4TheSunMakers The Sun Makers]]": The [[KnowNothingKnowItAll snooty]], [[FauxAffablyEvil arrogant]], [[CampGay foppish]], [[TheQuisling boot-licking]], and [[EvilDebtCollector completely disconnected character]] of Gatherer Hade to a tee. Pluto is Humanity's last resort, as both Earth and Mars are uninhabitable. The entire human populace, each day, [[NightmarishFactory is worked ever so much more harder by a galactic Company, to extreme exhaustion.]] (One character, Cordo, at the beginning of the serial even admitting that he already works double shifts!) Taxes are placed abound on anything from medical care, to basic living, to ''even breathing the air''; heavy fines for ostensible offenses (such as being out in the light of the artificially-generated suns, or what is considered an airspace violation -- the Doctor harmlessly landing his TARDIS on top of one of the city buildings) and workers are penalized, even with legitimate time off given by the Company, [[MovingTheGoalPosts plus these fees and taxes are increased often, leaving them constantly in-debt and unable to pay these exorbitant amounts.]] When the Doctor and Leela, along with disillusioned citizens, form a rebellion, the mysterious [[MorallyBankruptBanker Collector]][[note]]who seems to be a MoneyFetish[=ist=], is obsessed with work, finances, profit, transactions, entrepreneurship, and everything coldly involved with business; and also plans to poison-gas the factory should a rebellion actually erupt[[/note]] running the whole operation sets a reward of 5000 talmars for their capture, which Gatherer Hade praises as an excellent strategy, only for the Collector to metaphorically backstab Hade by taking the reward money out of ''his'' income! He exclaims in protest at this, but doesn't outright reject the system either; to keep his pocketbook safe, he goes off to try capturing the Doctor instead. Hade, being an accessory to the oppression, later gets LaserGuidedKarma, when trying to stop the rebelling workers from loitering in the sun, who then throw him off of one of the kilometer-high buildings of the city.

** And later, when Cordo is in the Undercity (and still under his life-long conditioning):
--->'''Cordo:''' ''(constantly nervous)'' I'm a foundry work unit, your honour. Always respectable. All my life I've met the production quotas, paid my dues and taxes, praise the Company.\\
'''Mandrell:''' Stuff the Company. Mouth those mindless parties down here, Citizen Cordo, and you'll get your throat slit. So, you're in trouble with the Gatherer, eh?\\
'''Cordo:''' Yes. I couldn't meet my father's death taxes. It was more than I was told, and I--\\
'''Mandrell:''' [[EvilDebtCollector It's always more than they tell you]]. I've heard the story a thousand times. You stay with us, you'll have to earn your keep.

* ''Series/TheOrville'', "[[Recap/TheOrvilleS1E07MajorityRule Majority Rule]]": The ''Orville'' visits a planet where two anthropologists have gone missing. They are found lobotomized, in unwitting bliss from brain damage from the punishment of the justice system. Punishment for offenders, decisions on social discrimination, as well as decisions in normal society, are doled out according to public opinion/absolute democracy (upvotes and downvotes), similar to modern social media, which is the only thing that is keeping this society alive, and no-one has questioned the problems inherent within, implied that fear that any attempt at dissent would ruin one's life. After John [=LaMarr=] is recorded performing a dirty dancing act on a statue of a well-known and celebrated historical public figure, he is ostracized by the entire planet and forced to be taken on an apology tour, where it seems, even to their own people, no amount of apology or attempts to be friendly have any effect in changing the angry negative opinions of the population, with some attempts even being twisted into interpretations of attack.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E21TheReturnOfTheArchons Return of the Archons]]": Landru--at least the computer version that the original eponymous ruler programmed 6000 years before--is adamant to keep "The Body"[[note]]The totality of the brainwashed planetary population[[/note]] alive, but does not realize that it has been actively suppressing and suffocating the culture of the planet. This can be shown in how the voice of the computer reacts: When it is presented a question of philosophy that it's forced to calculate, Landru's voice becomes less natural and more stilted and monotone in its delivery. When it "comes to its senses" from outside its comfort zone, it returns to a more-natural-sounding human voice. It also keeps shooting down Kirk and Spock's suggestions that it is harming the population, until they get in a good question that Landru is unable to compute, which results in it performing the prime function it uses to excise interference from outside influence: it overloads itself in an impressive display of smoke and sparks.
*** "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E23ATasteOfArmageddon A Taste of Armageddon]]": [[ForeverWar A war has been raging between two planets, Vendikar and Eminiar VII, for 500 years]]. The only odd part? [[AMillionIsAStatistic The war is computerized. No missiles, no bombs, no ground infantry/army/invasion. The "attacks" are recorded within the computer, and probable deaths are counted.]] The treaty between the two planets stipulates that those "affected" must report to [[DisintegrationChamber disintegration chambers]] within 24 hours, and even one miscount means that either side will begin attacking with real weapons. (The justification being that the culture and infrastructure survive with the computerized war.) Anan 7, the leader of the planet, dislikes the system[[note]]especially since his wife was "killed" in the last attack[[/note]] but dogmatizes its use because it has supposedly kept the peace on both worlds for half a millennium. What makes the whole system especially stupid is that [[EasilySwayedPopulation seemingly every single individual on the planet "has a deep sense of duty" (implied for the other planet too) and will robotically walk straight into euthanization without question, or others will allow their friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.]] It's only after [[CuttingTheKnot Kirk and Spock destroy the computers on Eminiar VII]], with Kirk explaining that [[WarIsHell war is]] ''[[WarIsHell supposed to be]]'' [[WarIsHell Hell]], and that the sanitization of it is what has kept it going for so long, that they finally put an end to it. References in later series (Eminiar VII is on a Federation starmap in ''TNG'' and there are posters advertising it as a vacation destination in ''[=DS9=]'' confirm that, with their dogma kicked out from under them, they came to their senses.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E3TheChangeling The Changeling]]": Played straight in a way that this is a (computer) system[[note]]as well as a philosophical system[[/note]] that is legitimately broken. Nomad, a (fictional) probe launched from Earth in the (then-futuristic[[note]]35-years-off from the original air year of 1967[[/note]]) year 2002, somehow merges with another probe, Tan-Ru. The two's programming becomes intermixed, and a corruption of purpose results: To [[DeadlyEuphemism sterilize]][[note]](...soil samples, Tan-Ru's purpose)[[/note]] lifeforms that it seeks out[[note]](...for study only, Nomad's purpose)[[/note]]. It sees itself as the [[AGodAmI perfect being]], and it kills and affects several crew members before being confronted by Kirk, who reveals that it has in fact made several errors: It mistook James Kirk for its creator "Jackson Roy'''''kirk'''''", it did not realize its mistake, and [[RuleOfThree it did not correct by sterilization]]. This results in Nomad becoming caught in a logic loop, trying to fight with the idea that it is perfect, and yet it has become imperfect by committing several errors. Furthermore, it's now set to perform its prime function on itself, to sterilize imperfect beings, whereupon Kirk and Spock manage to beam Nomad out into open space, where it explodes harmlessly.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E24TheUltimateComputer The Ultimate Computer]]": Dr. Richard Daystrom, inventor of the duotronic circuitry design that powers the Enterprise, and now inventor of the M5 computer, posits that his system will make crews obsolete. As the tests of the M5 are performed, however, it makes several questionable command decisions, and draws more and more power from the ship--attacking a harmless unmanned freighter, killing a [[RedShirt crewmember]] who was ordered to disconnect it from the ship's systems, leading Spock on a "wild goose chase" (to pretend it was disconnected), and the ultimate crime, engaging a simulated wargame session with fully activated weapons, killing an entire starship crew, and severely damaging others. Throughout the episode, as the M5 makes its mistakes, Kirk tries to convince Daystrom of how dangerous it's becoming, but at each accusation, [[SubterfugeJudo Daystrom deflects responsibility away by making excuses]], and undergoes SanitySlippage at each turn, until he finally breaks down [[TheyCalledMeMad under the pressure of past scientific rejections]]. Even worse, it was ''his'' mental engram patterns that he imprinted on the computer's circuitry. Subverted in the fact that M5 does gracefully give up and shuts itself down (leaving the ship open to attack/punishment) when it realizes it has violated its original purpose and imprinted morals.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E16WhenTheBoughBreaks When the Bough Breaks]]": Mixed in with ApathyKilledTheCat; the society of the legendary planet of Aldea (which has been cloaked to outsiders) has been steadily deteriorating for many years. They had decided to rely solely on their ancestors' computer and machinery systems and pursue an artistic form of culture. Unfortunately, their way of repopulating the planet involves abducting children from the Enterprise, with exchange of knowledge being appropriate compensation in their eyes. When Radue, the leader of Aldea, is confronted (after finding a way through the planetary shields), Dr. Crusher tries to explain that the shielding and machinery that they have used is what is poisoning their people and causing their culture to stagnate and die off. Radue does not believe her, claiming that their scientists would have told them of any problems ...except their scientists have basically forgotten how everything works on their planet. When Rashella, his wife, tries to listen, Radue instead angrily cuts off the conversation and attempts to force the away team to transport back to the ship. Eventually, Radue and the rest of the Aldeans are forced to realize that they are indeed being affected.

* Parodied ''and'' played straight in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E18HomerVsTheEighteenthAmendment "Homer Vs. The Eighteenth Amendment"]]: When a Prohibition law enacted 200 years ago is discovered in Springfield's Constitution, alcohol is outlawed. Unfortunately, this causes the same sociopolitical climate of the 1920s to return, with speakeasies and alcohol smuggling cropping up, with Homer at the center of the crime ring. When Chief Wiggum is discovered drunk in the tavern, he's fired from the police force, and when the police are unable to enforce the law, Rex Banner (an {{Expy}} of [[Series/TheUntouchables Elliot Ness]]) is brought in. This blind devotion to the law only becomes more absurd when Homer's capture reveals the punishment for breaking prohibition is exile by catapult. When Marge steps up to try to defend Homer, [[StrawmanPolitical Banner starts to lecture the town about how the law should not be dictated by popularity]], ignoring both how this law has caused infinitely more problems than it solved ''and'' that he's stepped into the catapult bucket. When Wiggum has had enough, he launches Banner out of town. The town clerk then finds that the law was repealed one year later, [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot meaning that all this strife and agony could have been avoided.]]

* Parodied ''and'' played straight in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Homer Vs. The Eighteenth Amendment": When a Prohibition law enacted 200 years ago is discovered in Springfield's Constitution, alcohol is outlawed. Unfortunately, this causes the same sociopolitical climate of the 1920s to return, with speakeasies and alcohol smuggling cropping up, including Homer, who is at the center of the crime ring, sneaking beer inside of hollow bowling balls through a complex system of pipes leading to Moe's Tavern. When Chief Wiggum is discovered, drunk, in the tavern, he's fired from the police force. When the police are unable to enforce the law, Rex Banner, a parody of Elliot Ness, with a no-nonsense humorless personality, from ''Series/TheUntouchables'', is brought in. When Homer's Duff supply runs out, he decides to make his own liquor, which starts failing after a while as well. Chief Wiggum, when found later, begs Homer to let him capture him. Homer agrees, but the punishment for breaking the prohibition law is by expulsion by catapult, out of town. When Marge steps up to try to defend Homer, [[StrawmanPolitical Banner starts to lecture the town about how the law should not be dictated by popularity]] (despite how the prohibition law actually caused ''more'' problems than it solved, much like the real-life Prohibition of the 1920s.), while not knowing that he's accidentally stepped into the bucket. When Wiggum has had enough, and decides that Banner has started talking out of his ass, he has the catapult launched, expelling Banner. The town clerk then finds that the law was repealed one year later, [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot meaning that all this strife and agony could have been avoided.]]

May cross over with TheQuisling, [[IFightForTheStrongestSide if they want to suck up to whatever ''the'' System is.]] Crosses over with CultureJustifiesAnything, EasilySwayedPopulation, MyCountryRightOrWrong, BlindObedience, DramaticallyMissingThePoint, BelievingYourOwnLies, GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity, TheNeidermeyer (if it involves a military or a command group), InherentInTheSystem, and TautologicalTemplar. If the system is for good, but it still is causing harm, unwillingly, then the person who dogmatizes it may be a PrinciplesZealot. May also result in a DeconstructedTrope or AnAesop if the medium is trying to make a point with this. If the work as a whole is dark and the story has no real way to bring the characters into any sort of satisfactory hopeful conclusion, then this trope can cross over into TooBleakStoppedCaring.

If the character in-question is being this way because they want to keep a system in place that benefits them and only them, then they may be trying to prevent a system that's TooGoodForExploiters, which would ruin their chances of keeping their benefits and power.

* ''Series/KitchenNightmares'': The infamous "[[Recap/KitchenNightmaresS6E15AmysBakingCompany Amy's Baking Company]]" episode has this in '''''droves'''''; "dogmatist" isn't even a word that can cover the owners' personalities, and "broken" is putting it mildly. Amy and her husband Samy are so disconnected on how to run a restaurant, and wondering why it's failing, that listing every single instance of what's wrong would take up most of the trope page, so here are some of the more notable elements of the episode:
** Even before Gordon Ramsay arrives the next day, a heated argument and near-fistfight breaks out between Samy and two customers who refuse to pay for a pizza that they waited ''one hour'' for.
** Gordon discovers that the food and pastries they used is pre-bought, and that which is "freshly-made" has [[CordonBleughChef conflicting flavors]], is overly greasy, undercooked, or even '''''raw'''''.
** Samy is discovered to be stealing tips from the staff, ''on-camera!'' This is ''illegal'' in the United States.
** A simple harmless question from a waiter gets her fired from the restaurant. (With Amy seethingly calling her a "viper".)
** Employees with proper restaurant experience are given menial jobs.
** The restaurant turnover rate (the amount of people who are hired, and leave/are fired) stands at '''''100'''''.
** [[BlatantLies Amy angrily claims that she is a good cook and makes "good food"]]. Sometime in the episode, she intentionally over-spices a pizza, that was sent back, with intent to harm the customer back. Again, this is ''[[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink illegal]]''.
** Gordon was apparently brought in not to fix the problems with the restaurant, but to bolster its image, and Gordon was expected to be a YesMan. By the end of the episode, he says that [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere he's giving up]], and outlines that the system they have is not just broken, but '''''beyond repair''''', as Amy and Samy refuse to fix it.

*** "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E3TheChangeling The Changeling]]": Played straight in a way that this is a (computer) system[[note]]as well as a philosophical system[[/note]] that is legitimately broken. Nomad, a (fictional) probe launched from Earth in the (then-futuristic[[note]]35-years-off from the original air year of 1967[[/note]]) year 2002, somehow merges with another probe, Tan-Ru. The two's programming becomes intermixed, and a corruption of purpose results: To [[DeadlyEuphemism sterilize]][[note]](...soil samples, Tan-Ru's purpose)[[/note]] lifeforms that it seeks out[[note]](...for study only, Nomad's purpose)[[/note]]. It sees itself as the [[AGodAmI perfect being]], and it kills and affects several crew members before being confronted by Kirk, who reveals that it has in fact made several errors: It mistook James Kirk for its creator "Jackson Roy'''''kirk'''''", it did not realize its mistake, and [[RuleOfThree it did not correct by sterilization]]. This results in Nomad becoming caught in a logic loop, trying to fight with the idea that it is perfect, and yet it has become imperfect by committing several errors. Furthermore, it's now set to perform its prime function on itself, to sterilize imperfect beings, whereby Kirk and Spock manage to beam Nomad out into open space, where it explodes harmlessly.

** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Deconstructed again in "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS5E9ThirtyDays Thirty Days]]": Lt. Tom Paris is imprisoned in the brig for violating the Prime Directive, after they meet with representatives of a planet made entirely out of water. Their problem is that their planet is losing its mass from water being ejected into space. It's discovered that their oxygen-mining operations are causing it. When they legitimately ask for help from the Voyager crew, Janeway rejects their pleas, citing the Prime Directive (although the directive has allowed exemptions from people explicitly asking for help). Paris, on the other hand, is less cold-hearted and decides to help by assisting in destroying one of the mining facilities. Unfortunately, Voyager intercepts the torpedo, whereby Janeway demotes Paris and sentences him to 30 days of incarceration in the brig.

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their PonziScheme wouldn't collapse) and is about to fall. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means that the Western Allies (Britain, France, the US and others) will do it instead. The Allied Powers won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the ''Führerbunker'' simply because there are so few troops left outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the point of committing suicide rather than surrender.

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their PonziScheme wouldn't collapse) and is about to fall. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means that the Western Allies will do it instead. The Allied Powers won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the ''Führerbunker'' simply because there are so few troops left outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the point of committing suicide rather than surrender.

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their PonziScheme wouldn't collapse) and is about to fall. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means that the Western Allies will do it instead. The Allied Powers won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the Fuhrerbunker simply because there are so few troops left outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the point of committing suicide rather than surrender.

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their PonziScheme wouldn't collapse) and is about to fall. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means the Western Allies will do it instead. The Allied Powers won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the Fuhrerbunker simply because there are so few troops left outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the point of committing suicide rather than surrender.

* ''Film/{{Downfall}}'': Almost all of the main characters embody this trope, as they're the Nazi high command at the tail end of World War 2, and the main drama of the film is how they deal with the obvious fact that Nazi Germany is in the final stages of a HopelessWar (which they started so their Ponzi scheme wouldn't collapse) and isn't going to last the year. The Soviets are approaching Berlin, and even if by some miracle they're held off, that just means the Western Allies will do it instead. The Allies won't accept anything short of unconditional surrender, and Hitler's power is effectively limited to the Fuhrerbunker simply because there's so few troops outside for him to command. And yet, most of them remain fanatical Nazis to the point of committing suicide rather than surrender.