History Main / FamilyUnFriendlyAesop

[[caption-width-right:300:He has a point, you know.]]

Due to ValuesDissonance and SocietyMarchesOn, a moral that is family-unfriendly in one time and place may be very family-friendly in another, especially morals about social mores or civil rights (see FairForItsDay). This list is for morals that were family-unfriendly even for the culture for which they were written. A prime target for [[{{Anvilicious}} dropping anvils]].

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' shows Hermione creating a society to protest the servitude of the House Elves, as they are essentially slaves. However, the end result is that the elves ''like'' to work and most view payment as an insult. This was ''meant'' to be a more traditional aesop of "Don't project your own values and morality on cultures that operate quite differently", something Rowling had seen with well-intentioned but misguided activists who tried to "rescue" people from things [[ValuesDissonance they actually liked]], but it comes off this way due to having a slave race [[HappinessInSlavery who likes it]] (within limits-they don't really like abuse). Given that many real slaves have in the past been portrayed this way, it comes off as very wrong for many.

** In one strip, Calvin is debating whether he should spend his time playing outside, or focus on his schoolwork. He decides that playing will make him happier in the short term, studying will make him happier in the long term, but going to play outside would also make better memories. Not every day you see a comic tell kids to not care too much about their homework.

** In the prequels, it is revealed that Jedi are not supposed to form long-term relationships, and especially not marry, as such emotional ties could lead to TheDarkSide by way of LoveMakesYouEvil. When this caused a ''lot'' of upset in fans (and [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Expanded Universe]] writers) with visions of the Jedi Knights as romantic heroes, George Lucas pulled a FlipFlopOfGod to clarify that the Jedi didn't have to actually be CelibateHero types -- they could have casual sexual affairs but their commitment to the Order had to be their priority (comparable to those in law enforcement or military, you don't get out of responsibilities because of a childs birthday). But obviously that one was an even harder Aesop to explain to the kids.
** The revelation that the Republic era Jedi Order recruited Force Sensitive children at very young ages and required them to have no further contact with or knowledge of their families (because that would be an emotional attachment), made some fans view them as brainwashed ChildSoldiers. This policy was unfortunately validated by the fact that Anakin, allowed into the Order as a special case, ''did'' actually go bad because of his emotional ties. Likewise, Kylo Ren, Han and Leia's son, turned to the Dark Side at least partly because of conflict with his parents and their subsequent decision to pawn him off on Luke Skywalker in the hopes of corrective discipline.

** Doing what's right comes at a cost. In the worst case, you die for it (Compare ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''). That doen't mean it's wrong to do so, but you must be aware of the cost.
** Alternatively: No matter how clever and brave you are, if you are caught in a shooting, and don't have skills useful against attackers, you [[RunOrDie run or hide ASAP]] - trying to play a hero will get you uselessly killed.

* ''Film/TheDevilsAdvocate'' argues that lawyers should not competently defend guilty clients; that's literally ''the Devil's work''. Lawyers should only defend the innocent.

* The ''Film/GodsNotDead'' series: So, basically, not being a Christian makes you retroactively "evil", while being a Christian gives you the right to belittle/discriminate Non-Christians?

* In the third ''{{Film/Halloweentown}}'' movie, [[HollywoodGeek Dylan]] (a [[HalfHumanHybrid half-human]] [[WitchSpecies warlock]] who DoesNotLikeMagic) [[PairTheSmartOnes bonds with a girl named Natalie]], only to have a minor freak-out when he discovers that her real form is a [[AllTrollsAreDifferent furry pink-skinned troll]]. Naturally she's offended and points out that from her perspective, [[HumansAreUgly he's pretty weird-looking himself]]. They eventually make up and are going to kiss at the end of the movie...only to agree that they're BetterAsFriends, because they each find the other too gross. Despite the general theme against FantasticRacism in these movies, the point seems to be that physical attraction ''is'' an important component in a romantic relationship.

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'' shows Hermione creating a society to protest the servitude of the House Elves, as they are essentially slaves. However, the end result is that the elves ''like'' to work and most view payment as an insult. This could also be a more traditional aesop of "Don't project your own values and morality on cultures that operate quite differently."

* Objectivist novels such as Creator/AynRand's ''Literature/AtlasShrugged'' teach that altruism is evil. People need to learn to stand on their own two feet, so helping them up will only make them weaker and more dependent on you. It also teaches that the successful elite will be attacked by the untalented masses out of jealousy. Also, that nature is ugly and billboards improve it. Also, Ayn Rand (if the Fountainhead is any guide) prefers ugly concrete monstrosities to Greek and Roman architecture.

* The message of ''Film/{{Idiocracy}}'' on the future of entire society becoming morons became less of a social commentary and more mean-spirited once it blames poor people for their own misfortunes and low IQ on their lack of intellect rather than the constraints and failures of society, which also include lack of access to education which sadly further [[ViciousCycle perpetuate the cycle along with the said notion]].

* The ''Film/GodsNotDead'' series: So, basically, not being a Christian makes you retroactively "evil", while being a Christian gives you the right to belittle/discriminate Non-Christians? [[FlatWhat What]].

*** Though, the above example does have at least one mitigating factor. After Brother Bear gives Sister Bear lessons in self-defense, he reminds her emphatically that the first tactic is to simply avoid Tuffy, in accordance with what their parents decided would be best. Sister does manage this for two days before she intervenes because of Tuffy being cruel again[[note]]Granted, it was for throwing stones at a bird, but it's the thought that counts[[/note]]. And even then, she only hits back when the Bully tries attacking her first. So a more charitable interpretation of it is, "it pays to know how to defend yourself so people don't just hurt you without consequences."

*** And similarly in ''Too Much Teasing''. How do you deal with teasing? Easy - get a kid to humiliate them in public.

* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'''s rendition of Android 16's pep talk to Gohan before he goes Super Saiyan 2, it goes from an understanding speech about how it's not wrong to fight for what you love, to 16 viciously ripping Gohan apart for acting like [[ItsAllAboutMe he's the only one of the cast who suffers]], and for [[ToBeLawfulOrGood rigidly sticking to his pacifist principles instead of doing the right thing.]]

* In ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'''s rendition of Android 16's pep talk to Gohan before he goes Super Saiyan 2, it goes from an understanding speech about how it's not wrong to fight for what you love, to 16 viciously ripping Gohan apart for acting like [[ItsAllAboutMe he's the only one of the cast who suffers]], and for [[ToBeLawfulOrToBeGood rigidly sticking to his pacifist principles instead of doing the right thing.]]
--> '''Android16''': Cell was right, you think you're better than everyone else. But there you stand, the good man doing nothing. And while evil triumphs, and your rigid pacifism crumbles into bloodstained dust, the only victory afforded to you is that you stuck true to your guns. You were a coward to your last whimper.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' teaches that sometimes the lesser of two evils is the right thing to do, and that good things done half-assedly can cause serious harm. Three of the Four Heroes go about performing good deeds throughout Melromarc, but because they don't stop to consider or mitigate the resulting consequences, said good deeds snowball into utter disaster as soon as they're gone, leaving Naofumi to clean up the mess by being more thorough and putting more thought into his actions. Naofumi is also a slave owner, but because he treats his demi slaves well and because Melromarc is such a racist hellhole towards demis they're actually safer and better off than they'd be free because they're under Naofumi's physical and legal protection. Contrast with Motoyasu, who wants to free Naofumi's slaves by force even though he'd be putting them at risk, simply for the short-term gratification of feeling like a hero.

* The aesop of ''Film/{{Shazam}}'' is "Your real family is the people who care about you," which is family-friendly, but early in the movie, a social worker adds a blunt addendum: If someone's not making an effort to be part of your life, give up on them and move on (even if it's the mother that you love). Sometimes, there is no compromising. There are no misunderstandings that can be cleared up. Sometimes you might not even get closure.

* ''Film/TheParentTrap'': It's completely unrealistic to try to make two people who are obviously unfit for each other get back together again. In real life, making two people who aren't right for each other marry again might only cause pain to both them and the child(ren), as it most likely causes constant arguments that may leave a lot of emotional turmoil on the child constantly having to watch a loveless marriage. The film tried to show an idealized situation instead of showing the healthy way to deal with a divorce. It's worse when you consider that Hailey's father never even told her about her ''mother and twin sister'', not letting Annie have the benefits of dual citizenship.

* One of the major Aesops in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' (besides the obvious [[CaptainObviousAesop "racism is bad"]] one) is about knowing when the quit, and that sticking to your beliefs isn't always a good thing. Lloyd and the BigBad act as basically a {{Deconstruction}} of the {{Determinator}} trope, with Lloyd eventually learning that he needs to change his outlook on the world and becoming a better person as a result, while the BigBad stubbornly refuses to change to the bitter end, even when [[spoiler: his own sister, who he was enacting his schemes for to begin with]] tells him that what he's doing is wrong and he needs to stop.

* ''Film/RamboIV'': Sometimes ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer.

** In the prequels, it is revealed that Jedi are not supposed to form long-term relationships, and especially not marry, as such emotional ties could lead to TheDarkSide by way of LoveMakesYouEvil. When this caused a ''lot'' of upset in fans (and [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Expanded Universe]] writers) with visions of the Jedi Knights as romantic heroes, George Lucas pulled a FlipFlopOfGod to clarify that the Jedi didn't have to actually be CelibateHero types -- they could have casual sexual affairs. But obviously that one was an even harder Aesop to explain to the kids.