History Main / DisobeyThisMessage

--> '''Tall Goth:''' I'm ''such'' a non-conformist, I'm not going to conform with the rest of you. I'll do it. [Join Stan's dance troupe.]
--> '''Henrietta:''' Wow. I think we just got put in our place.
--> '''Red Goth:''' Yeah. We just got goth-served.

* Classically done in ''Webcomic/TheParkingLotIsFull'' strip shown above.

* Or, this segment from Creator/SteveMartin's first comedy album:

** ''VideoGame/TheStanleyParable'' uses this in spades. You ''can'' listen to the Narrator, and doing so will result in a completed (if short) game. On the other hand, disobeying the Narrator (and at what point in the game you do so) will lead to a much longer and interesting playthrough.

* Any commercial touting individuality. The [[AnAesop Aesop]] seems to be "BeYourself; [[TheManIsStickingItToTheMan buy what everyone else is buying]]."

* In one of Daniel Dennett's nonfiction books (probably ''Freedom Evolves''), Dennett mentions in passing[[note]]which is probably why it comes across like this, since there's no space for a proper explanation[[/note]] that there is no such thing as a good AppealToAuthority. He doesn't given an argument for this, though. So the only reason for believing it would be because of his authority as someone who knows about this kind of stuff, which is perfectly normal in a popular science or philosophy book. But if appealing to authority is ''always'' a bad argument, then authority is never a good reason to believe something either.

* Joked about in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'', with a battle droid commander mocking the clones for not being “free thinkers, like us, right boys?”. [[SugarWik/FunnyMoments Cue his troops all saying “roger roger” in perfect, mindless unison.]]

* Subverted again in ''Series/ThePrisoner'' episode "Checkmate", the prisoner of the title teaches other prisoners how to tell real prisoners from guardians. They apply this lesson to him and conclude he's a guardian, foiling his escape plan.

* In one of Daniel Dennett's nonfiction books (probably ''Freedom Evolves''), Dennett offhandedly[[note]]which is probably why it comes across like this, since there's no space to explain everything properly[[/note]] mentions that there is no such thing as a good AppealToAuthority. He doesn't given an argument for this, though. So the only reason for believing it would be because of his authority as someone who knows about this kind of stuff, which is perfectly normal in a popular science or philosophy book. But if appealing to authority is ''always'' a bad argument, then authority is never a good reason to believe something either.

* A famous quote, attributed to Buddha himself encapsulates this trope pretty well: "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, [[LampShadeHanging not even if I have said it]], unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

* In one of Daniel Dennett's nonfiction books (probably ''Freedom Evolves''), Dennett offhandedly[[note]]which is probably why it comes across like this, since there's no space to explain everything properly[[/note]] mentions that there is no such thing as a good AppealToAuthority. He doesn't given an argument for this, though. So the only reason for believing it would be because of his authority as someone who knows about this kind of stuff, which is perfectly normal in a popular science or philosophy book. But if appeal to authority is always a bad argument, then authority is never a good reason to believe something either.

* In one of Daniel Dennett's nonfiction books (probably ''Freedom Evolves''), Dennett offhandedly mentions that there is no such thing as a good appeal to authority. He doesn't given an argument for this, though. So the only reason for believing it would be because of his authority as someone who knows about this kind of stuff, which is perfectly normal in a popular science or philosophy book. But if appeal to authority is always a bad argument, then authority is never a good reason to believe something either.

* In one of Daniel Dennett's books (probably ''Freedom Evolves''), Dennett offhandedly mentions that there is no such thing as a good appeal to authority. He doesn't given an argument for this, though. So the only reason for believing it would be because of his authority as someone who knows about this kind of stuff, which is perfectly normal in a popular science or philosophy book. But if appeal to authority is always a bad argument, then authority is never a good reason to believe something either.

The ticklish situation caused when a show or program tries to teach the lesson that you shouldn't believe everything you hear from an authority (like a show or program). This almost always presents a BrokenAesop.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgOX9mb7V4o This superbowl commercial]] for Motorola's ''Xoom'' tablet, meant to be a massive TakeThat at Apple's famous [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8 "1984"]] ad. The guy is shown to be fighting the system by using the Xoom, in contrast to the legion of white-hooded apple zombies, but the inadvertent message is "Fight enslavement by this huge corporation by buying the products of this other huge corporation".
** Which is exactly the same BrokenAesop Apple delivers in the original 1984 commercial. Fair is fair.

[[caption-width-right:300:''Just remember. You're unique. Just like everyone else.'']]

See also: BeYourself, JumpOffABridgeRebuttal, TheManIsStickingItToTheMan. Not to be confused with LogicBomb.

** The same T-shirt appeared in a ''CharbyTheVampirate'' page involving Victor's younger brother.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

[[folder: Stand Up Comedy ]]

[[folder:{{Tabletop Games}}]]

[[folder:{{Theatre}}]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* ''{{GURPS}} Illuminati'': "Never believe in conspiracy theories - they are all a plot from the intelligentsia, to stop you from finding the truth!"

** Which leads some to the logical conclusion that conspiracy theorists are part of a ViralMarketing [[TheConspiracy government conspiracy to cause this effect on people]]. As expressed on the cover of {{GURPS}} Illuminati: "Never believe in conspiracy theories - they are all a plot from the intelligentsia, to stop you from finding the truth!"

** An example would be in the [[Literature/SwordOfTruth novels of Terry Goodkind]], where the main character effectively ends up as a benevolent capitalist dictator, the series having explored the weaknesses of all other forms of government. The last chapter of the series features that character ''ordering his followers'', ironically enough, to no longer do the devotion, a ritual that has over time turned the heads of his family into objects of a cult of personality.

** An example would be in the [[SwordOfTruth novels of Terry Goodkind]], where the main character effectively ends up as a benevolent capitalist dictator, the series having explored the weaknesses of all other forms of government. The last chapter of the series features that character ''ordering his followers'', ironically enough, to no longer do the devotion, a ritual that has over time turned the heads of his family into objects of a cult of personality.

* ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety'': Don't do what grown-ups like me tell you! Let's all be individuals... together!

Can also be a FamilyUnfriendlyAesop, if the author's intent was obviously to send the message, "Don't blindly obey anybody -- [[{{Hypocrite}} except me.]]" This can especially be the case when the [[AuthorOnBoard author is trying to convince the audience to take up particular political causes]]; see the Real Life example of conspiracy theorists below for how that can turn out badly.

* Music/{{Tool}} was well known for tricking concerts goers into saying stupid things like the above Scrubs example.