History Main / GoodIsNotnice

[[folder: Real Life]]
* Among evangelical christian men, there is a movement to counter the stereotypical "nice guy" attitude that many have found in themselves: polite, sensitive, and friendly but cowardly, deceptive and secretly selfish. The movement looks at characters of the Bible (including Jesus) who were considered righteous in spite of being socially abrasive, if not incredibly rude. Many books have been written about this topic, from John Eldridge's "Wild at Heart" to "No More Christian Nice Guy" by Paul Coughlin.
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** Lair of the Shadow Broker: [[spoilers:"I sacrificed thousands of lives to save the Destiny Ascension! I unleashed the rachni on the galaxy! And you think I'll let ''one hostage'' stand in my way?"]]

** Yes, even Jesus. When he's not healing the sick and preaching compassion, he's dishing out scathing criticism of the hypocritical and self-righteous, and trashing temples taken over by merchants.
*** He was generally nice when people didn't need for Him to be harsh though.
*** Exodus 15:3 "The Lord is a warrior, YHWH is His Name." In Revelation 19, Jesus SLAYS AN ENTIRE ARMY SINGLE-HANDEDLY. That army following Him doesn't actually do anything. He is as kind and merciful beyond imagination, but DO NOT PISS HIM OFF or no power in Heaven or Earth will shield you from His wrath.

*** He was generally nice when people didn't need for Him to be harsh though.

** The sequel shows that Paragon Shepard, while generally fitting the description of [[TheMessiah The Ultimate Hero]], won't put up with your crap either. Paragon Shepard in [=ME2=] probably better fits GoodIsNotNice better than Renegade Shepard, because Renegade Shepard can do some really downright malevolent things.

[[folder: Real Life ]]
* Various cultures both eastern and western agree that a true friend, as opposed to a fair-weather one, should be willing to harshly point out your flaws and wrongdoings and speak unpleasant truths instead of just buttering you up.
* Reportedly, Florence Nightingale was in fact an extremely cranky and curmudgeonly perfectionist and when she saw anyone of whatever rank who did not fit her standards (like, you know, washing your friggin' hands before treating a wound), her wrath was terrible to behold.
* The Western Allies of WWI, WWII, and (to a lesser extent) the Cold War were perhaps THE MostTriumphantExample of this trope IRL. While they are traditionally seen as white-knight heroes ([[WrittenByTheWinners particularly in the West]]), the list of sabotage, violations of neutrality, assassinations, espionage, coups, preemptive strikes, collateral-damage high operations, and occasionally even outright war crimes they committed could easily double this page in length at LEAST, to say nothing of issues like colonialism, support for unsavory regimes, and often times (particularly in WWII) outright racism or other controversial issues like [[DealWithTheDevil abandoning large swaths of Europe to Communism]] [[WhatTheHellHero TWICE]]. To this day, there are still hearty debates about which examples were motivated by VERY nasty cases of HeWhoFightsMonsters, simple greed/political manuevering, or even the [[ShootTheDog nature of military and conflicts themselves.]] It is perhaps a testament to [[HumansAreBastards the nature]] [[BlackAndGreyMorality of humanity]] that by most measures they were undeniably better than [[ImperialGermany virtually]] [[ThoseWackyNazis all]] [[ImperialJapan of]] [[SovietUnion their]] [[DirtyCommies major]] [[RedChina enemies.]] However, while their actions were.... [[UnderStatement not always on the up and up]], few would dispute that without this [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ramshackle,]] [[TeethClenchedTeamwork perpetually feuding,]] and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero very,]] [[WhatTheHellHero VERY,]] [[OverlyLongGag ''VERY'']] [[MoralDissonance imperfect]] alliance, numerous things like more-or-less free elections, human rights, and [[TVTropes the ability to write snarky entries on websites without fear of the censor sending the Secret Police to your door]] would probably have gone extinct to a very large extent.
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* The Western Allies of WWI, WWII, and (to a lesser extent) the Cold War were perhaps THE MostCrowningExample of this trope IRL. While they are traditionally seen as white-knight heroes ([[WrittenByTheVictors particularly in the West]]), the list of sabotage, violations of neutrality, assassinations, espionage, coups, preemptive strikes, collateral-damage high operations, and occasionally even outright war crimes they committed could easily double this page in length at LEAST, to say nothing of issues like colonialism, support for unsavory regimes, and often times (particularly in WWII) outright racism or other controversial issues like [[DealWithTheDevil abandoning large swaths of Europe to Communism]] [[WhatTheHellHero TWICE]]. To this day, there are still hearty debates about which examples were motivated by VERY nasty cases of HeWhoFightsMonsters, simple greed/political manuevering, or even the [[ShootTheDog nature of military and conflicts themselves.]] It is perhaps a testament to [[HumansAreBastards the nature]] [[BlackAndGreyMorality of humanity]] that by most measures they were undeniably better than [[ImperialGermany virtually]] [[ThoseWackyNazis all]] [[ImperialJapan of]] [[SovietUnion their]] [[DirtyCommies major]] [[RedChina enemies.]] However, while their actions were.... [[UnderStatement not always on the up and up]], few would dispute that without this [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ramshackle,]] [[TeethClenchedTeamwork perpetually feuding,]] and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero very,]] [[WhatTheHellHero VERY,]] [[OverlyLongGag ''VERY'']] [[MoralDissonance imperfect]] alliance, numerous things like more-or-less free elections, human rights, and [[TVTropes the ability to write snarky entries on websites without fear of the censor sending the Secret Police to your door]] would probably have gone extinct to a very large extent.

* Kanda from ''DGrayman'', who says often that he doesn't care about other people, but will save them and protect them, often after saying he was using them as bait. General Cross could also fall under this one. He's brutal, but effective, and he genuinely does care about Allen. Awww.

* Meta Knight in the Kirby anime acts as a TricksterMentor to Kirby, training him and helping him, but being rather distant. Also notable: in his first appearance he speed-trained Kirby to wield a sword... by beating the crap out of him and pointing out all his mistakes. Other times he's cool and distant and generally only directly helps Kirby when his life is in danger.

** [[LoveFreak Amelia Seylune]] wants to be a "[[ForGreatJustice Hero of Justice]]" but is so naive and wrapped up in stereotypes and cliches she's barely aware of what that means. She tries to do things right as she understands it, but end up either too misguided or too self-righteous. And hits this trope straight. Lina may be a black mage rarely caring of anything including moderate collateral damage, but ''her'' reaction on the thought of Amelia with [[FantasticNuke more destructive spells]] (in [[spoiler:season 1, ep. 12]]) is "NoJustNo", and even dumb-as-a-jellyfish Gourry see why. However, her father Phil is far more adequate despite having exactly the same LoveFreak quirks and being even bigger MartialPacifist.

** Anime-only character Filia is a [[{{Tsundere}} bad-tempered]] HolierThanThou priestess. Though, in her defense, she appears to have been raised in isolation from the wider world and her main problems are due more to immaturity and naivete then anything else.
* Asuka Soryu from {{Neon Genesis Evangelion}} is an arrogant, obnoxious bint who, despite claiming to pilot her Eva only to become famous ("prove (herself) to the world"), risks her life on countless occasions to defeat the angels/save humanity and is highly honourable (she willingly puts herself in harm's way in episode 11 to square her debt with Shinji).

* Sakurako Sanjou from ''HanaYoriDango'' is a [[RichBitch Rich]] BitchInSheepsClothing as well as ''very'' nasty when crossed. After her HeelFaceTurn, despite having a kinder disposition, she still remains spoiled and childish.

* Much t everyone's surprise, [[spoiler: '''Eva''']] turns out to be this in UminekoNoNakuKoroNi.

* The British-published SonicTheComic by Fleetway paints [[SonicTheHedgehog the titular hedgehog]] as such. He's a hero and saves the day constantly, but if you're one of his allies? Expect to be belittled, verbally abused, and made to cater to his ego.

* Not sure what the quote is word for word, but, from the first Prophecy movie: Locusts, fire from the sky, cities turned to salt, all the first born killed in the night, whenever God needs to visit some disaster or punishment on mankind, he calls an angel. Have you ever considered just what sort of being it takes to do something like that?

* Basil of Baker Street, from TheGreatMouseDetective, is condescending and rude. Children coming to his office to say their fathers were kidnapped are told "I have no time for lost fathers!" Of course, this turns out to be because he's focused on trying to apprehend a local crime lord named Professor Ratigan, whom ironically happens to be very AffablyEvil, the polar opposite of this trope.

* In DanAbnett's GauntsGhosts novel ''Ghostmaker'', the angel (or hallucination) that appears to Larkins inspires him to carry out his mission alone, despite his terror, but that includes prying out him the truth of his panick-stricken flight and demanding that he carry it out.
* Richard of the Sword of Truth books. Pick a book, especially a later book. He is 'good,' but has a nasty habit of killing people who disagree with him

* The main character in Brian Stableford's Hooded Swan novels is practically a pacifist who abhors violence and will almost always step up to do something heroic if he's called upon, including sacrificing his own life if it saves others, but he's abrasive and sarcastic, doesn't get along with anybody and either resents, insults or condescends to people trying to be friends to him, including the alien symbiote inside his mind. He even seems blind to his own heroic nature, the first person narrative is full of rationalizations of why he's no hero.

* The Baroness in Thackeray?s ''The Virginians'' remarks: "...Let me tell you, sir, that angels are sometimes not very ''commodes à vivre''. It may be they are too good to live with us sinners, and the air down below here don't agree with them."
* In the CircleOfMagic, Tris. It's even lampshaded by her student in "Shatterglass", which makes her blush. Aw.
** Another CircleOfMagic example would be [[InsufferableGenius Dedicate Initiate ]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Crane]]. He's a JerkAss to everyone, even the people he speaks reasonably politely to. He kicks hard-working, earnest helpers out of his laboratory for so much as having a loose thread on their clothes. (The reasoning was justified, in that they were working with the pure essences of an incredibly virulent and thusfar incurable disease. The ''[[KickTheDog manner]]'' in which he dismisses them, however, was not.) He automatically believes the worst of everyone, even his [[VitriolicBestBuds university friend Rosethorn]]. And yet he has, on more than one occasion, worked himself almost to the point of collapsing from exhaustion in an effort to find the cure for a plague and save people from dying.

* Bernabus, Drust and later Grubbs from The Demonata series pretty much love this trope.

* The Bible. Hoo boy, just.. choose any major figure.

* The Fist Team from DoubleTheFist are here to help. They want the world to be more activate and powerful, and even helped save the woodland from loggers once. However, they have also murdered a number of innocent people, destroyed a lot of public property, and eventually conquered the world. Their hearts are in the right place...Well, Mephisto may enjoy his work a bit too much.

* If you consider the power of light and law to be "good," than the color White from MagicTheGathering falls into this category. Remember, this is the color that (sometimes to often) believes orderly behavior is more important than individual will, and more recognizably, brought us the spell [[KillEmAll "Wrath of God."]]
** Unfortunately for this example, LightIsNotGood. Nor, for that matter, is [[LawfulNeutral law]].

** As well as Amarant and Steiner (at first) from IX, Vincent from VII, Shadow from VI and Lightning from XIII.

* Shadow the Hedgehog from the SonicTheHedgehog series is generally good. At least on a technical basis. He is however, an asshole whose friends consist of Omega, a robot, and Rouge, a thief whom he pals up with when one wants something from the other.

* Doctor Magnusson from ''[[HalfLife Half-Life 2: Episode Two]]'' is tempermental, impatient, and arrogant. He's also capable, in his own way, of showing genuine gratitude.

* Some of your allies in the {{Suikoden}} series can come off as complete jerks who you nonetheless respect [[BunnyEarsLawyer because they're good at what they do]]. [[SuikodenII Shu]] aand [[SuikodenV Zerase]] immediately spring to mind.

* Freaking Marietta from the DeptHeaven series. She's a {{Jerkass}} KnightTemplar who spends much of ''KnightsInTheNightmare'' kicking little puppies, [[spoiler:killing you]], imposing {{Sadistic Choice}}s, and flat-out denying that [[HeroicSociopath Meria]] has any right to be alive at all. The only way to get her to be ''even slightly'' kind to you is to jump when she tells you to, no matter how much it grates. She's also a guardian of order and has extremely strict good intentions, sort of.

* Jaheira from the ''BaldursGate'' sequels, where it otherwise looks like she's not living up (down?) to her obligatory druidic TrueNeutral [[CharacterAlignment alignment]]. She seems like at least a good with neutral tendencies if not just plain regular NeutralGood, but is still a blunt know-it-all with no patience for people who don't happen to see things her way or who happen to annoy her through no fault of their own.

** The sequel shows that Paragon Shepard, while generally fitting the description of [[TheMessiah The Ultimate Hero]], won't put up with your crap either. Paragon Shepard in ME2 probably better fits GoodIsNotNice better than Renegade Shepard, because Renegade Shepard can do some really downright malevolent things.

* In ''DantesInferno'' the eponymous character has the choice to either "[[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Absolve]]" or "[[VideoGameCrueltyPotential Punish]]" the LegionsOfHell he battles as a FinishingMove. The bright and shining Absolve-based finishers aren't all that much less brutal than their scythe-based Punish counterparts.

* Sam Fisher of SplinterCell, arguably. According to the [[AllThereInTheManual manual,]] he has a strong belief in justice and freedom, as well as a dark sense of humour, a disturbing knowledge of ways to hurt people, and the scariest voice ever.

* Miranda of LegendOfDragoon. She's the First Sacred Sister of Mille Seseau, a combination of princess, general, and priestess for the people of her country. She's also chosen as the White Silver Dragoon, the holiest and gentlest of dragoon spirits. Too bad she's a [[{{Tsundere}} raging bitch]]. [[CharacterDevelopment She gets better]] as the game goes on, but her cynical business-first attitude puts her in stark contrast to her predecessor, [[IncorruptiblePurePureness Shana]].

---> '''[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20080229 Gil]]:''' "I am '''sick to death''' of this! What do I have to '''do'''?! I just took down an entire army of war clanks, and '''still''' get threated like a '''halfwit child!''' [...] '''Always''', I try to be '''reasonable'''. To be '''fair'''. I try to '''talk''' to people. And no one '''ever''' takes it as anything other than '''weakness'''. [...] Because nobody ever '''takes me seriously -''' unless I shout and threaten like a cut-rate '''stage villain.''' Well, you know '''what?''' I can '''do''' crazy. I '''really can'''. And it looks like I'm going to '''have''' to. [...] And show you '''idiots''' what kind of madboy you're '''really dealing with!''' ...Oh. Oh, no. This must be how my '''[[NecessarilyEvil father]]''' feels - '''all the time!'''"

* Corporal Erik Mahren, range officer at Whateley Academy in the WhateleyUniverse. Coarse, angry, and clinically insane after the horrors he experienced in a Black Ops group for the U.S. Defernse Department, he acts like a JerkAss to the students. Except he'll do anything to keep students from being hurt on his ranges, and he was willing to be brutally ripped to pieces to save a teenage girl from killing herself.

* Slag, from the original G1 ''Transformers'', is incredibly mean and nasty, will even attack his own comrades if they irritate him . . . and an Autobot. No one is even sure why he is even an Autobot at all, though it is implied here and there (memory fails as to specifics) that it is loyalty to his Dinobot teammates that keeps him around.

* There was a cutaway gag in Family Guy where Peter encounter a mean desk clerk. Peter than later was told by another employee that the mean desk clerk donates his money to orphans with diseases.

<<|GoodnessTropes|>>

AffablyEvil is when a villain acts polite, friendly and kind, even while plotting evil. [[TitleDrop good is not nice]] is the inverse of that: a character who is morally slanted toward the good side but is rude, unfriendly, and mean.

** The sequel shows that Paragon Shepard, while generally fitting the description of [[TheMessiah The Ultimate Hero]], won't put up with your crap either. Paragon Shepard in ME2 probably better fits [[TitleDrop good is not nice]] better than Renegade Shepard, because Renegade Shepard can do some really downright malevolent things.

AffablyEvil is when a villain acts polite, friendly and kind, even while plotting evil. GoodIsNotNice is the inverse of that: a character who is morally slanted toward the good side but is rude, unfriendly, and mean.

** In ''Fallout 3'', they're comparatively nicer {{Knight Templar}}s, so the Outcasts take over for the Good Is Not Nice through AntiMutiny.

** The sequel shows that Paragon Shepard, while generally fitting the description of [[TheMessiah The Ultimate Hero]], won't put up with your crap either. Paragon Shepard in ME2 probably better fits GoodIsNotNice better than Renegade Shepard, because Renegade Shepard can do some really downright malevolent things.

He [[NeverHurtAnInnocent never kills anyone if he can help it, nor will he allow people to come to any sort of harm by ignoring them]]. He's always willing to go out of his way [[IncorruptiblePurePureness to save the town and complete strangers]]. When the call comes, [[ResignedToTheCall he will answer it, usually with very little protest.]] He will often help people in need with little promise of reward. In almost every way, he acts like the typical hero.

* The Western Allies of WWI, WWII, and (to a lesser extent) the Cold War were perhaps THE MostCrowningExample of this trope IRL. While they are traditionally seen as white-knight heroes, the list of sabotage, violations of neutrality, assassinations, espionage, coups, preemptive strikes, collateral-damage high operations, and occasionally even outright war crimes they committed could easily double this page in length at LEAST, to say nothing of issues like colonialism, support for unsavory regimes, and often times (particularly in WWII) outright racism. It is perhaps a testament to [[HumansAreBastards the nature]] [[BlackAndGreyMorality of humanity]] that by most measures they were undeniably better than [[ImperialGermany virtually]] [[ThoseWackyNazis all]] [[ImperialJapan of]] [[SovietUnion their]] [[RedChina enemies.]]

->''"Abashed the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is."''
-->--''ParadiseLost (bk. IV, l. 846)''

* As his journey progresses, Dr. Kenzou Tenma from ''{{Monster}}'' becomes more and more unhinged, and less and less interested in following the basic precepts of civility. Evident even in the beginning of the series, where he is not above manhandling people in rather unwarranted rage, this escalates into theft, coercion, and all-too-frequent death threats.

[[quoteright:325:[[{{Batman}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/batman_is_good_not_nice_7523.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:325:LawfulGood does ''not'' mean Lawful Nice.]]