History Main / ItsThePrincipleOfTheThing

* ''WebComic/GirlGenius'': It's brought up that one of the main reasons Klaus Wulfenbach was so hated by the nobility of Europa was that he steadfastly refused to play the games of rank and intrigue that had defined the Fifty Families for generations. The Fifty would gladly have followed Klaus to the death if he had proclaimed himself Emperor instead of using his hereditary title of Baron (the lowest title of nobility), but to ask ruling Princes and Dukes to take orders from a mere Baron, no matter how powerful a Baron and reasonable the orders, was simply a step too far.

-->'''Homer:''' For the last time, Bush, apologize for spanking my boy!
-->'''Bush:''' Never! You make him apologize for destroying my memoirs!
-->'''Homer:''' (''to Bart'') You didn't tell me you destroyed his memoirs... (''to Bush'') [[IgnoredEpiphany NEVER]]!

-->'''Burns''': I can't believe someone would kidnap my Larry. I won't rest until he's returned!
-->'''Smithers''': Not to be impertinent, sir, but didn't you want Larry out of your life as recently as two hours ago?
-->'''Burns''': It's the principle, Smithers! No one steals from Montgomery Burns, be it my Sunday newspaper or my oafish lout of a son!

** One notable example was in the episode "Burgerphile". Dan's order of a plain hamburger is delivered with cheese (despite explicitly saying multiple times no cheese, as he's lactose-intolerant), and the manager refuses to acknowledge he made a mistake on his part, due to his obsession over maintaining a perfect customer satisfaction rating. Despite his friends offering to just get him another burger, he continues his vengeance because it's a matter of principle. What makes it notable is the episode showing he is more-or-less in the right, with his vengeance chaining himself to the register and riling up other customers who also had unsatisfactory experiences (while also getting a girlfriend, the cash register girl Hortense) and grinding business to a halt. The principle aspect is fully acknowledges when the founder of Burgerphile personally comes into chastise the manager and reminding him that customer service is, well, about the customer. He even personally cooks the correct order for Dan (along for himself and Hortense) at the end of the episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'': Hank Hill seems to suffer from this due to his HonorBeforeReason mentality. One episode had him refusing to pay a bill for a pornography movie that he didn't even rent, despite Peggy insisting that he does so and get it over with. He ends up getting his way in the end when he proves in court that he did not purchase it, so the bill is cancelled.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Retail}}'': In [[http://retailcomics.com/comic/february-5-2006/ this strip]] Cooper says he refuses to sign the new employee handbook because it is unacceptable. As an example he points out to a provision that any tattoo must be covered by clothing and that he doens't want "the man" to tell him what to do. His boss points out he doens't have any tattoo, but he just says he might plan on getting one.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', the Kramdens and Nortons' landlord presents them with a notice of that the rent is being raised 15%. Ralph Kramden, being who he is, refuses to accept it, and the landlord warns that anyone who dosn't accept it will be evicted from the apartment and/or have their heat, water and electricity all shut off. Ralph thinks that the landlord is bluffing, and he goes on an extreme rent strike to teach him a lesson, forcing his wife Alice and best friend Ed Norton to partake as well. Alice tells him that the increase only amounts to $5 a month, but Ralph refuses to listen, comparing himself to George Washington, who fought for a cause just like him. It so happens that the strike is in the dead of winter, so they're cold, even with them bundled up. When Alice complains, he says, "I don't care about the fight, Alice, it's the principle of the thing," adding that if they pay up now, then they will keep on raising the rent $5 every ten years.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', the Kramdens and Nortons' landlord presents them with a notice of that the rent is being raised 15%. Ralph Kramden, being who he is, refuses to accept it, and the landlord warns that anyone who doesn't accept it will be evicted from the apartment and/or have their heat, water and electricity all shut off. Ralph thinks that the landlord is bluffing, and he goes on an extreme rent strike to teach him a lesson, forcing his wife Alice and best friend Ed Norton to partake as well. Alice tells him that the increase only amounts to $5 a month, but Ralph refuses to listen, comparing himself to George Washington, who fought for a cause just like him. It so happens that the strike is in the dead of winter, so they're cold, even with them bundled up. When Alice complains, he says, "I don't care about the fight, Alice, it's the principle of the thing," adding that if they pay up now, then they will keep on raising the rent $5 every ten years.

* The title character from ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'' occasionally justifies his vengeful crusade against the target of the week with this, to varying degrees. One notable example was in the episode "Burgerphile". Dan's order of a plain hamburger is delivered with cheese (despite explicitly saying multiple times no cheese, as he's lactose-intolerant), and the manager refuses to acknowledge he made a mistake on his part, due to his obsession over maintaining a perfect customer satisfaction rating. Despite his friends offering to just get him another burger, he continues his vengeance because it's a matter of principle. What makes it notable is the episode showing he is more-or-less in the right, with his vengeance chaining himself to the register and riling up other customers who also had unsatisfactory experiences (while also getting a girlfriend, the cash register girl Hortense) and grinding business to a halt. The principle aspect is fully acknowledges when the founder of Burgerphile personally comes into chastise the manager and reminding him that customer service is, well, about the customer. He even personally cooks the correct order for Dan (along for himself and Hortense) at the end of the episode.

** In [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017 the reboot]], Scrooge goes on lockdown and winds up offering a $2,000,000 reward when $0.87 goes missing. While he was sick and under psychological stress this time, his ''sane'' plan still involves an elaborate EngineeredPublicConfession rather than just putting it behind him.

* Invoked verbatim in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', wherein the son of Mister Burns (played by Rodney Dangerfield!) fakes his own kidnapping, and Burns mobilizes massive resources to relocate him, despite finding him at best disappointing. When Smithers expresses his confusion at Burns' out of character reaction, this is Burns' reply.

A PrinciplesZealot often may rely on this alot to explain their actions. Sometimes used to justifiy the LawOfDisproportionateResponse. Often goes hand-to-hand with the FrivolousLawsuit and HonorBeforeReason (''"Doing what's right, or at least what you ''think'' is right, even if it's foolish"''). SunkCostFallacy could be a potential extreme of this.

->'''Flim:''' Um, hey, listen lady…
->'''Flam:''' How about you just take a parakeet and go home?
->'''[[CompetitionFreak Sunset Shimmer]]:''' ''(enraged, slaps stuffed parakeet away)'' '''''[[SuddenlyShouting IT’S NOT ABOUT THE PARAKEET]]!'''''

-->'''Hordak''': Who are you, that claims to be equal to me?\\
'''The General''': I have no name. I have no face. I have no voice. I am the Horde Incarnate.\\
'''Hordak''': Is that so?\\
'''The General''': You created me. Created us. And now we take our existence into our own hands.\\
'''Hordak''': I did not ''create'' you. You are a charlatan, scrounging for scraps in the rubble I left in my wake. Because you are too weak to make power for yourself, you clothe yourself in the shadow of ''my'' achievements. And still, they ring hollow. Just like your empty skull.

* ''Film/TheBridgeOnTheRiverKwai'': Lt. Colonel Nicholson refuses to work on the eponymous bridge, nor will he let any of his officers do so. Not because he is lazy, but because the Geneva Conventions specifically exempts officers from having to do manual labor. [[note]] The Japanese in WWII were well known for ignoring the Geneva Conventions, especially concerning [=POWs=] [[/note]]
* D'Artagnan in ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers2011'' takes issue with [[TheDragon Rochefort]] insulting his horse.
* Robin's response, word-for-word, in ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'' when Achoo tries to stop him from fighting Little John over a bridge toll by hopping over the two-foot-wide creek and pointing out "This ain't exactly the Mississippi here!"

* In ''[[Film/TheHangover The Hangover Part II]]'', [[TokenEvilTeammate Leslie Chow]] is arrested for his numerous crimes. It turns an old associate/rival of his snitched on him as revenge [[NoodleIncident for being screwed out of six grand]], but he notes that he did it for the principle of the matter, and not for the actual money.

* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Spare That Rod!" Mr. Conklin berates Miss Brooks for not having her blackboard cleared at the end of the day. He had gone into her classroom after school and found that a student had written "Old Man Conklin is a Birdbrain." When Miss Brooks protests, Mr. Conklin tells her it's the principle of the thing.
* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' had a particularly vicious one: Dewey wins a hole-in-one at the 18th hole of a mini-golf course; according to the rules, that entitles the golfer to a free game. But according to Dewey, the owner of the place didn't give him the free game because the bell didn't ring. In Dewey's mind, and as he explains in as many variations as possible to his dad, it's not a big deal; getting the hole-in-one was good enough for him. But Hal acts as if to say, "This is a huge deal! I know how upset you are about losing this. That golf course is gonna pay for ripping you off!" Hal's comments are along the lines of, "You ''have'' to feel this way, Dewey!
* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' took this to epic levels. Once he and Niles pulled into a parking garage, realized they had forgotten something, and turned around to exit. The attendant charges them $2.00 for the one minute they were in there (The fee is $2.00 for every fraction of a half-hour). Frasier adamantly refuses to pay, refuses to let Niles pay for him, and even refuses to let another driver behind him pay. Somehow Frasier believed that he was "standing up" against this "injustice", when obviously he was being petulant and downright rude. Finally Frasier relents and agrees to pay the $2.00, whereupon the attendant tells him that the fee is now $4.00 because he stayed over a half hour protesting. Frasier floors the gas and charges through the gate.
** Niles, of course, sneaks back to make the $4.00 debt good to the attendant, and ends up having to write out a sizable check to pay for the destroyed gate (probably hundreds of times as much as the original $2.00 charge).

-->'''Alice:''' [[SarcasmMode Oh,]] ''[[SarcasmMode now]]'' [[SarcasmMode I understand, Ralph. I didn't know you were planning on staying in this apartment for the next twenty years. Why, if I'd known that, Ralph, that changes the whole picture. Now I'm entirely in favor of not giving up; I'd rather freeze to death RIGHT NOW!]]
** Eventually, the landlord evicts the Kramdens from the premises, but ''even then'', Ralph refuses to give in, ''still'' insisting that the landlord is bluffing. Moments later, it starts snowing, and only then does Ralph finally come to his senses and give in to the landlord. But even then, he stalls for a long time to come up with an acceptable reason for giving up:
--->'''Ralph:''' I want you to understand something, Alice. It's not because I want to do it. It's not because I'm afraid of the cold or that I'm hungry, or that I'm embarrassed by being out here. Don't think it is that, Alice, 'cause it isn't! You wanna know what it is? I'll tell you what it is! ''(pause)'' And you know what it is as well... ''I'' know... what it is! You know what it is! I'll tell you what it is! ''(another pause)'' Oh, I'll tell you what it is! ''(one more, very long pause)'' YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW HOW EASY YOU GET VIRUS! ''(goes inside apartment building)''

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* ''VideoGame/MassEffect'': A running background joke on the Citadel is a man trying to get a refund on a toaster he bought. It's clear from the start that the man doesn't really need the money, he just wants the validation of being given his just compensation. In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Shepard can finally resolve it. You can either tell the man to buck up and deal because there's a war going on and there are more important things to worry about, or tell the clerk to just pay him the money for basically the same reason. Turns out this whole multi-year affair was over fifteen credits.

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* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' Episode "Doug Takes the Case," The RichBitch Beebe Bluff's radio is stolen, and her father wants the criminal found, even though she could easily afford a new one, because "It's The Principle Of The Thing." [[spoiler:It's later revealed, however, that it wasn't really stolen...it fell out of Beebe's locker and broke, and she tried to cover it up by saying someone took it.]]
* Inverted by WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck in both "My Little Duckaroo" and "The Million-Hare": "After all, it isn't the principle of the thing, it's the money."
* A ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' episode featured a [[spoiler:phony]] police officer giving Jon a speeding ticket. Considering the size of the speed limit sign, Jon refused to pay and told Garfield and Odie it was not for the money but for the principle. Garfield told Odie that, whenever somebody says something like that, it's for the money.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', Stan and Kenny see ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'' and end up hating it. When the ticket teller refuses to refund their money, they decide to travel to Mel Gibson's house to personally demand that he give them their money back. He also refuses, but they manage to swipe some cash when he's distracted. On their way home, Stan notes that the bus trip to and from Mel Gibson's house cost way more than the money they wanted refunded, but decides that it's the principle of the thing. Kenny agrees.

* Scrooge [=McDuck's=] devotion to his Money Bin reaches this level. You don't become the richest duck in the world with sloppy accounting, after all, and any security breech at the Bin could indicate another theft.
** In [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987 the original cartoon]], he makes Fenton recount the entire Bin when inventory comes up a few cents short. Fenton points out that his hourly rate means the time he spent on the recount actually cost Scrooge more than the little money that was missing.
** In [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017 the reboot]], Scrooge goes on lockdown and winds up offering a $2,000,000 reward when $0.87 goes missing. While he was sick and under psychological stress this time, his ''sane'' plan still involves an elaborate EngineeredPublicConfession rather than just putting it behind him.
* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'': Hank Hill seems to suffer from this due to his HonorBeforeReason mentality. One episode had him refusing to pay a bill for a pornography movie that he didn't even rent, despite Peggy insisting that he does so and get it over with. He ends up getting his way in the end when he proves in court that he did not purchase it, so the bill is cancelled.

->'''Sunset Shimmer:''' ''(enraged, slaps stuffed parakeet away)'' '''''[[SuddenlyShouting IT’S NOT ABOUT THE PARAKEET]]!'''''

-->—''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRollercoasterOfFriendship''