History Main / ContractualGenreBlindness

* This is [[Franchise/{{Batman}} the Riddler's]] whole schtick. Of ''course'' he'd be a more successful criminal if he didn't leave puzzle clues behind. He ''knows'' that. But he's got a psychological hang-up (sometimes identified as a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder) that just compels him to go about it this way.

* ''Anime/DemashitaPowerPuffGirlsZ'': Hyper Blossom and Mojo Jojo in the first episode start their fight because they realise that, randomly given super powers, [[BeautyEqualsGoodness she's obviously a superhero]] and [[ObviouslyEvil he's obviously a supervillain]], and they must fight because that's what heroes and villains do. Considering the original series was all about playing with Superhero tropes to begin with, and this anime-remake is all about doing the same while ''{{lampshad|eHanging}}ing'' tropes from the original…

** This is all because he s
Uffers from [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Malign Hypercognition Disorder]]. He ''knows'' his actions are irrational, and most of his struggle in the books are with himself, alternately denying his problem and pitying/hating himself for it.

** Villain Dr. Impossible does many things because that's what villains are supposed to do, but with a lot of realistic consequences [[spoiler: Dr. Impossible dons his [=supervillain=] costume to impress the C-list villains at a local hangout, gets beat up and thrown out, and has to change out of his costume in nearby bushes before getting on the local Greyhound bus to go home.]].

** This is all because he suffers from [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Malign Hypercognition Disorder]]. He ''knows'' his actions are irrational, and most of his struggle in the books are with himself, alternately denying his problem and pitying/hating himself for it.

* The main cast in ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', sans the titular character, are forced to constantly jump between this trope and GenreSavvy, since it's required to maintain the {{Masquerade}}. [[{{Jerkass}} Haruhi]] is a [[AGodAmI godlike being]], and if she expects a trope, that trope will manifest; however, if she ever becomes aware of this, there's a very real risk of... ''[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt consequences]]'', so her friends have to play dumb while at the same time trying to safely resolve whatever problem Haruhi has caused.

* The main cast in ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'' literally fall under this trope because they're trying to maintain the {{Masquerade}} when they know that [[spoiler:Haruhi is a [[AGodAmI godlike being]], and if she expects a trope, that trope will manifest; however, if she knows this, there's a very real risk of...''[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt consequences]]''.]]

* In ''Comicbook/{{Empowered}}'', by Adam Warren, the bad guys do this as a survival mechanism. Smack around the hero and leave him (her) tied up and escape with the diamonds? Good show, whatever. We'll get you next time! Shoot the hero? Every other hero will be after you. Unfortunately, there are villains who simply don't care and are powerful enough that the prospect of being hunted by every other hero doesn't worry them.

** In ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum,'' the old Count de Magpyr explains that it's better for a vampire to display [[FairPlayVillain a sense of fairness]] (having big open windows with heavy drapes, items that can easily be turned into holy symbols. and easily breakable furniture in your castle) and get let yourself be killed every so often, than to become a hated tyrant and have people actually ''trying'' to get rid of you in a more longlasting way. (This gets discussed near the end of the book; while the villagers are polling for suggestions on how to permanently remove the new Count, and family, from the Disc, they openly state that the old Count provided regular adventure and exercise, and aren't even bothered that he's just come back from the dead... again.)
** Evil Harry Dread in ''Discworld/TheLastHero'' is constrained by the Dark Lord Code of Honour, later defined in [[http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=2919 this Pyramid article]].

** In a fairly meta example, anyone who plays role-playing games for any length of time will paradoxically combine this with GenreSavvy, because of the FourthWall. Anyone who's played for any length of time will pick up on the [[TropesAreTools cliches and tropes]] that the GameMaster uses due to dozens of exposures; however, each new ''character'' being played will not have the benefit of that experience, so the player must act as if {{genre blind|ness}}, or risk BreakingTheFourthWall - which most [[GameMaster GMs]] frown upon. Attempting instead to act as if there is NoFourthWall generally (not inevitably) leads to powergaming, {{Munchkin}}s, a KillerGameMaster and, when it all comes crashing down, RocksFallEveryoneDies.

Contrast DangerouslyGenreSavvy, for when villains know the standard tropes that lead to their downfall and go out of their way to avoid them.

Contrast DangerouslyGenreSavy, for when villains know the standard tropes that lead to their downfall and go out of their way to avoid them.

** In ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum,'' the old Count de Magpyr explains that it's better for a vampire to display a sense of fairness (having big open windows with heavy drapes, items that can easily be turned into holy symbols. and easily breakable furniture in your castle) and get let yourself be killed every so often, than to become a hated tyrant and have people actually ''trying'' to get rid of you in a more longlasting way. (This gets discussed near the end of the book; while the villagers are polling for suggest on how to permanently remove the new Count, and family, from the Disc, they open state that the old Count provided regular adventure and exercise, and aren't even bothered that he's just come back from the dead... again.)

* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', ContractualGenreBlindness is more akin to following UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar, because as long as ''you'' play by the rules and aren't too great of a threat, you can expect the other side to do so too. Being an effective and dangerous villain will just make sure that when your enemies defeat you, they'll go to great lengths to make sure you ''don't show up again''.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': Señor Senior Sr. took up [=supervillainy=] as a hobby and has since adhered to ContractualGenreBlindness. In fact, it's a tradition followed both by the villains and the heroes. So much so that the character gets upset when one villain refuses to follow the rules. He considers it to be good form.

** In ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum,'' the old Count de Magpyr explains that it's better for a vampire to display a sense of fairness (having big open windows with heavy drapes, items that can easily be turned into holy symbols. and easily breakable furniture in your castle) and get let yourself be killed every so often, than to become a hated tyrant and have people actually ''trying'' to get rid of you in a more longlasting way.

** This is all because he suffers from[[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Malign Hypercognition Disorder]]. He ''knows'' his actions are irrational, and most of his struggle in the books are with himself, alternately denying his problem and pitying/hating himself for it.

* Luka of ''VideoGame/MonsterGirlQuest'' is a heroic example. He's a KnightInSourArmor who acts like an IdiotHero because it's the heroic thing to do.

* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', ContractualGenreBlindness is a clever survival technique, because as long as ''you'' play by the rules and aren't too great of a threat, you can expect the other side to do so too. Being an effective and dangerous villain will just make sure that when your enemies defeat you, they'll go to great lengths to make sure you ''don't show up again''.

* ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'': Every MadScientist acts in a given manner, even though they know it's going to bite them in the tush, precisely because of the insanity.

* Captain Cold alluded to this during "The Rogues' Revenge" storyline following''Comicbook/FinalCrisis''. When your foe is Franchise/TheFlash, a man capable of finishing any fight before you even think of defending yourself, you keep your crimes light and theatrical and hope he responds in turn.

* One Federation droid control ship, two Imperial Death Stars, and a First Order Starkiller Base later, the villains of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' films seemingly still haven't cottoned on to the idea that focusing most of your military strength into a single, centralized station with numerous, readily-exploitable weaknesses isn't the winning strategy it may appear to be.

%%* Jack Spicer of ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown''.

But what happens when you have a villain who understands that to be a good villain, you ''have'' to have GenreBlindness? You're left with a villain stricken with '''Contractual Genre Blindness'''. This is the baddy who captures the hero and uses overly complicated {{Death Trap}}s, not because it's the smart thing to do, but because it's what a villain is ''supposed'' to do.

* ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'': For toons, it's very hard if not outright impossible to jump away from the "role" they've been created for. (Roger tells Eddie that he wouldn't ever be capable to murder because "My whole purpose in life is to make people laugh!"). Double-subverted with [[spoiler: Judge Doom,]] who is able to repress his basic toon urges to maintain his human disguise, but can't fight his villain "role" and places the heroes in an overly-dramatic and slow-moving DeathTrap which [[HoistByHisOwnPetard eventually causes his own demise.]]

'''Doctor Evil:''' Scott, you just don't get it, do ya?

* WesternAnimation/Bravestarr was once forced into a deal with his enemy Tex Hex. Bravestarr went along with it because he knew Tex was such a compulsive backstabber that there was virtually no chance he'd keep his end of the deal, which would free Bravestarr from having to stand by it, either. Sure enough, Tex broke his word.

* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', ContractualGenreBlindness is a clever survival technique, because as long as ''you'' play by the rules and aren't too great of a threat, you can expect the other side to do so too.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''
** In ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum,'' the old Count de Magpyr explains that it's better for a vampire to display a sense of fairness (having big open windows with heavy drapes and easily breakable furniture in your castle) and get let yourself be killed every so often, than to become a hated tyrant and have people actually ''trying'' to get rid of you in a more longlasting way.

** ContractualGenreBlindness is a clever survival technique. In the case of the Old Count, he knows that [[GoodOldWays deliberately obeying old stereotypes]] is much better than subverting them and earning the total enmity of the local villagers, risking them putting him in a coffin full of garlic and posting a guard every year. Evil Harry Dread's continued "I'll be back" survival also works because he abides by the same rules as the heroes. If they killed Harry once and for all, they would be depriving themselves of a future job. As such, Harry is considered a close friend, even though he is still a "bad guy".

DangerouslyGenreSavvy villains are evil, and they know it. For every complicated villain with [[FreudianExcuse abandonment issues]] that has a chance to redeem themselves, there are ten {{Card Carrying Villain}}s out there who are just in it because they [[ForTheEvulz love being villains.]]

SlaveToPR to the extreme. Villains who say "screw it" to this policy instead become DangerouslyGenreSavvy. If a villain, usually a MadScientist, has a mental handicap which ''forces'' them to act like this, even when they know better, that's ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder.

* Classic ''Series/DoctorWho's'' the Master fell into this a lot. New Who manages to make him Contractually Genre Blind and DangerouslyGenreSavvy ''at the same time''.

** In a fairly meta example, anyone who plays role-playing games for any length of time will paradoxically combine this with DangerouslyGenreSavvy, because of the FourthWall. Anyone who's played for any length of time will pick up on the [[TropesAreTools cliches and tropes]] that the GameMaster uses due to dozens of exposures; however, each new ''character'' being played will not have the benefit of that experience, so the player must act as if {{genre blind|ness}}, or risk BreakingTheFourthWall - which most [[GameMaster GMs]] frown upon. Attempting instead to act as if there is NoFourthWall generally (not inevitably) leads to powergaming, {{Munchkin}}s, a KillerGameMaster and, when it all comes crashing down, RocksFallEveryoneDies.
** Virtually the only exceptions are blatantly self-aware games such as ''TOON'' or ''Paranoia,'' in which your character's attempts to be DangerouslyGenreSavvy are [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption predestined for humiliation]] and PlayedForLaughs.
** A new player checks the chest for traps. An experienced player checks the floors, walls, and ceilings for traps. A DangerouslyGenreSavvy player has someone ''else'' check the ceiling for traps. A truly experienced player walks up and just opens the chest, then starts laughing when the DM starts rolling dice.

** Nale and Elan's father Tarquin takes this so far he loops back into DangerouslyGenreSavvy. He's running an evil empire fully aware that many stories have such empires toppled and their leaders slain. He doesn't mind the possibility that such will be his fate if it means he gets to run an evil empire for a few decades. He's even happier to go along with genre conventions after finding out his son Elan has become an adventuring hero; rather than dying at the hands of some random schmuck, he will be defeated in an epic duel with his own son. He seems more excited at the prospect of ''losing'' than winning -- winning just means he'll get to rule a bit longer, while losing will make him a '''legend''' since the villain is always more memorable in such tales. He sums it up quite nicely to Elan: "Here's to us Elan. We're going to tell the best story ''ever''."