History Main / TheyJustDontGetIt

** Perceval has a hard time understanding TheUndead, asking whether they are living or dead. Arthur's attempt at explaining such {{Oxymoronic Being}}s to him doesn't go anywhere.

* French comedian Fernand Raynaud had a very known sketch where a patron in a café asks for a coffee and two croissants. When the waiter explains they are out of croissants, the patron changes his order into a tea with two croissants, and it goes on like this for a while with the patron changing his order into any other beverage with two croissants as the waiter tries to make him understand they don't have croissants. In the end another patron comes to berate the first one for losing the waiter's time, and tells the waiter that if he had been in his place he would already have hit the patron in the face with his bloody croissants.

* ''Fanfic/TheKarmaOfLies'': No matter how many times Plagg, Marinette, or anyone else try to explain to Adrien ''why'' it's a problem to let [[ManipulativeBitch Lila]] continue deceiving their classmates and [[ConArtist running her various cons]], he continues to insist that it isn't an issue since ''he's'' not being directly effected. He also dismisses the notion that he'll ever have to deal with the consequences of his actions, blithely insisting that [[ObliviouslyEvil he hasn't done anything wrong]]. He retains this attitude even as [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty said consequences come calling]], convinced that things ''should'' go precisely the way he wants because [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality he's one of the heroes]].

* ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'': A frequent source of humour in the series is the characters being unable to understand a simple fact no matter how long it is being explained to them (Perceval and Karadoc are the most common offenders).
** Gauvain can't understand that his father having rebelled against King Arthur means he will have to choose between his loyalty to his father and to the Round Table.
--->'''Gauvain:''' But even if my father betrayed you, you and him are still friends, right?
** [[spoiler:After his failed suicide attempt,]] Arthur doesn't have the will nor the strength to feed himself. Karadoc tries bringing him food, and when Arthur repeatedly tries to explain that he's not hungry, Karadoc (who's a BigEater) just cannot grasp the concept.

* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'': No matter how many times someone tells him, Souma just can't seem to understand that it's a bad idea (for both legal and social reasons) to constantly carry around a sword. By the time of the Main Story Keito admits that he puts up with it due to Souma being his junior in Akatsuki and instead just tries to at least keep him from brandishing it when he can.

* Touta from ''Manga/UQHolder''. Ikkuu and Jinbei convince him that he needs to go "all the way" with [[spoiler:Kirie]] during their trip to Kyoto; she is told the same thing by Karin (everyone in UQ Holder is shipping them pretty hard). When the two are using an outdoor bath in their hotel room, he tells her he's going to go all the way with her (both of them are naked), and... he just kisses her. When she gets confused, he tells her he thought that kissing in a romantic context was going "all the way." In the very next scene she tries to explain what sex is through a flower metaphor. He doesn't get it. She then explicitly tells him what it is. He still doesn't really get it. She puts on some porn. He (apparently) finally gets it.

* French comedian Fernand Raynaud had a very known sketch where a patron in a café asks for a coffee and 2 croissants. When the waiter explains they are out of croissants, the patron changes his order into a tea with 2 croissants, and it goes on like this for a while with the patron changing his order into any other beverage with 2 croissants as the waiter tries to make him understand they don't have croissants. In the end another patron comes to berate the first one for losing the waiter's time, and tells the waiter that if he had been in his place he would already have hit the patron in the face with his bloody croissants.

* Throughout ''[[Fanfic/TheLamentSeriesChaoticNeutral Chloe's Lament]]'', Chloe proves completely unable to grasp ''why'' nothing turns out the way she anticipates. She can't see where she's gone wrong because that would require her to recognize that she's ''done'' wrong -- and in her mind, [[EntitledBitch she deserves everything she desires]]. So why, for instance, does Adrien find it so abhorrent that she'd gladly turn everyone into her [[MindControl mindless thralls]]? They should be ''happy'' to serve her!
** She also can't wrap her mind around the notion that Marinette's kindness ''isn't'' an act, and that she's not a SecretlySelfish BitchInSheepsClothing. No matter how much evidence piles up, she continues to insist that she ''must be'' just as self-serving as [[PsychologicalProjection Chloe herself is]].

* In the ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' movie, when Yami finally confronts Anubis, he asks him [[ForTheEvulz why]] he wants to destroy the world. Anubis doesn't understand the question, even as Yami exasperatingly repeats that he surely must have a ''reason'' for destroying the world, considering all the trouble he went to to do it.

* In ''Film/KaamelottPremierVolet'', Arthur tries to explain the concept of standing guard to Perceval and Karadoc. They simply can't understand what "going some way on the path and standing guard there" means.
-->'''Perceval:''' So we go along the path and if we don't see anybody coming, we come back, right?

** [[spoiler:After his failed suicide attempt,]] King Arthur doesn't have the will nor the strength to feed himself. Karadoc tries bringing him food, and when Arthur repeatedly tries to explain that he's not hungry, Karadoc (who's a BigEater) just cannot grasp the concept.
** Gauvain can't understand that his father having rebelled against Arthur means he will have to choose between his loyalty to his father and to the Round Table.
---> '''Gauvain''': But even if my father betrayed you, you and him are still friends, right?

--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': 'ang on a squig! If dat [[spoiler: Kyras]] git is anglin' ta zog da whole sector...
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Right...?
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': ... an' [[spoiler: Kyras]] is ''in'' da sector...
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Okay...
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': ... an' [[spoiler: Kyras]] don't want ta get zogged...
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Yeah... yeah... right...
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': an' dose big humie ships won't dakka dat place dey dakka'd before...
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Yeah?!
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': Den [[spoiler: Kyras]]... would go... to da place... dey wouldn't dakka! Which is dat place!
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''':[{{Beat}}] Still not followin' ya, Kaptin.
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': [[spoiler: Kyras]] is dere! OOOOOOH! Get ready, ya great, posh, tin-plated stomp bait! DA ORKS IS COMIN'! '''WAAAGH!!!'''

* ''Webcomic/{{Loserz}}'': When Ben asks high school playboy Adam for advice about asking his crush Jessica out to the spring dance, Adam tells him that Jessica is notoriously chaste, and no one has ever even been able to get past second base with her. [[spoiler:She's actually gay]]. Ben, who's fine just spending time with her, tells Adam that they don't ''have'' to have sex just because they're on a date. Adam reacts like he's speaking utter gibberish.

* ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'': When Dr. Bald bemoans he won't makes money from his failed "Frankenhooker" experiment, Noah points out to him that he invented reanimation, which he could easily be monetized. Dr. Bald doesn't get how people could want their departed ones turned into hookers. Noah insists that he doesn't HAVE to turn them into hookers.
-->'''Dr. Bald:''' I don't follow.

* Season 6 of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' sees Sarge completely unable to grasp the idea that in the time Red Team was split up, [[LazyBum Grif]] got promoted to captain. Once it gets to the point where Sarge asks where their ''invisible captain who has the exact same name as Grif'' is, Grif tells Simmons to stop trying to explain it to him, noting that he just doesn't have the mental capacity.
* In the ''WebAnimation/HowItShouldHaveEnded'' video ''How WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Should Have Ended'', The Elder Troll tells Elsa that she must control her powers and fear will be her enemy. Elsa's parents ask if he's saying they should do what they did in the movie, which the Elder Trolls points out what they're suggesting has nothing to do with what he said and just flat out tells them ThePowerOfLove will save their daughter. The Elder Troll decides to just take them someplace who can actually help Elsa: [[spoiler: [[Franchise/XMen Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'': Master Shake, Meatwad, and the Mooninites try to cash what they think is a check, [[spoiler: it’s actually a medical bill]], at a connivence store. The clerk tries in vain to tell them they don’t cash checks but they just think he’s refusing to cash it. They try again later by having Meatwad (badly) impersonate Carl to cash it. Which the clerk sees through but doesn’t care since, again, they don’t cash checks.

** Archer, as well as the other characters, keep trying to shoot Barry, despite him having become a cyborg who is completely ImmuneToBullets, and Archer even stupidly tries to fight him hand to hand on several occasions. Effectually Archer finally [[spoiler:''does'' get it, and buys explosive shotgun shells during their second-to-last meeting]]
---> '''Barry''': Yeah, remember right now, when I'm a ''friggin cyborg?!''

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': In an episode, Launchpad's response when Mrs. Beakly suggests he try driving a subway train ''without'' crashing it is confusion at the concept.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Dr. Doofenshmirtz, who would be at least mildly competent at the whole MadScientist thing if it weren't for the fact that he just ''cannot'' grasp that Phineas and Ferb's pet platypus is, in fact, his arch-nemesis, Perry The Platypus. As long as Perry doesn't wear his NiceHat, Doofenshmirtz is simply incapable of recognizing him, even if he changes right in front of him.

** General Specific eventually figures it out when he wakes up to Sheep bleeting in the night. Rendering Angry Scientist making all those charts worthless.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'': Similarly to the Simpsons example, Duckman once contracted an incurable disease from ingesting a mix of ingredients, one of which included acid from a car battery, that made him grow uncontrollably whenever he lost his temper. When Dr. Stein tried to explain it, Duckman kept demanding it "in English".
--> '''Stein''': Okay.... the square thingie in your car has a goo inside it...
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePJs'': Yet another doctor example, when Thurgood's doctor tries to explain high blood pressure to him.
--> '''Doctor''': Your blood is bad, especially when you get mad, and if you die, you'll be very sad!\\
'''Thurgood''': Now was that so hard?

** One episode has the military ask Creator/MNightShyamalan and Creator/MichaelBay for help in defeating the terrorists occupying Imaginationland. The first describes a bunch of plot twists, the second a long action sequence where everything explodes. When told what they just said doesn't help at all, their response is to stare blankly back at the general.
-->'''General:''' Those aren't ideas, those are special effects!\\

:: When Creator/MelGibson comes in, [[BunnyEarsLawyer he's insane, but they say at least he understands story structure.]]
** Another episode has Sharon repeatedly expressing her annoyance at how Randy and seemingly everyone else are so concerned with [[SeriousBusiness the massive]] [[ToiletHumor piece of crap Randy excreted]], going "Why are men so obsessed with how big their crap is?!" Stan tells her later in the episode "You don't understand, Mom. You just don't understand.", much to her exasperation. (Both a news anchor and a employee at Guinness World Records, both of whom are also female, also express their annoyance, though in the latter's case, she's heard explaining to someone on the phone that Guinness simply doesn't want to handle the flood of men calling about their giant craps and instead redirects them to another organization.)

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'', Rincewind doesn't understand that he can just leave the growing wizard problems behind if he stops being a wizard, which would be easy for him since he can't do magic. Subverted later when he finally does get it, but says that he can't just stop being a wizard since it's more than just the ability to do magic.

* ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'': [[spoiler:After his failed suicide attempt,]] King Arthur doesn't have the will nor the strength to feed himself. Karadoc tries bringing him food, and when Arthur repeatedly tries to explain that he's not hungry, Karadoc (who's a BigEater) just cannot grasp the concept.

* ''Fanfic/TheKarmaOfLies'': No matter how many times Plagg, Marinette, or anyone else tries to explain to Adrien ''why'' it's a problem to let [[ManipulativeBitch Lila]] continue deceiving their classmates and [[ConArtist running her various cons]], he continues to insist that it isn't an issue since ''he's'' not being directly effected. He also dismisses the notion that [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty he'll ever have to deal with the consequences of his actions]], blithely insisting that [[ObliviouslyEvil he hasn't done anything wrong]]. He retains this attitude even as said consequences come calling, convinced that things ''should'' go precisely the way he wants because [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality he's one of the heroes]].

* In this [[https://extraneousdominomask.tumblr.com/post/162205227287/a-zooplecoop-where-nick-and-judy-interrogating-a ficlet]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}} Nick and Judy]] capture one of Muggshot's guard dogs and keeps it in the interrogation room. [[VideoGame/SlyCooper Carmelita]] tries to explain the difference between [[FurryConfusion dogs like Muggshot and dogs like the guard dog]] but to no avail.

* In the ''WebAnimation/HowItShouldHaveEnded'' video ''How WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Should Have Ended'', The Elder Troll tells Elsa that she must control her powers and fear will be her enemy. Elsa's parents ask if he's saying they should do what they did in the movie, which the Elder Trolls points out what they're suggesting has nothing to do with what he said and just flat out tells them ThePowerOfLove will save their daughter. The Elder Troll decides to just take them someplace who can actually help Elsa [[spoiler: [[Franchise/XMen Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters]]]]

* ‘’WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce’’: Master Shake, Meatwad, and the Mooninites try to cash what they think is a check, [[spoiler: it’s actually a medical bill]], at a connivence store. The clerk tries in vain to tell them they don’t cash checks but they just think he’s refusing to cash it. They try again later by having Meatwad (badly) impersonate Carl to cash it. Which the clerk sees through but doesn’t care since, again, they don’t cash checks.

* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II: Retribution'' had its beautiful example of "Orky logic"

--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Yeah?

--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Right...
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': ... an' [[spoiler: Kyras]] don't want ta get zogged...

--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': an' da big 'umie ships wouldn't dakka da place dey dakka'd before...
--> '''Miss'ta Nailbrain''': Right, right....
--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': Den [[spoiler: Kyras]]... would go to da place dey wouldn't dakka! Which is dat place!

--> '''Kaptin Bluddflagg''': OOOOOOH! [[spoiler: Kyras]] is dere! Get ready, ya posh, tin-plated stomp bait! DE ORKS IS COMIN'! '''WAAAGH!!!'''

[[/folder]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The episode "Symbiosis" featured drugs. Wesley Crusher says he doesn't understand why anyone would take drugs because the health problems associated with them are well documented. Tasha Yar tries to explain drug addiction and how people turn to drugs to escape from their problems, but he is completely unable to comprehend the concept.

* On one ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode, Tom Servo is completely unable to grasp the concept of TabletopGame/TrivialPursuit, giving nonsensical answers that have nothing to do with the questions and sticking with answers even after being told they're wrong. Joel finally says the trope name word-for-word.
* ''Series/LimmysShow'': In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fC2oke5MFg this sketch]] Limmy fails to grasp that [[StockLateralThinkingPuzzle a kilogram of steel weighs the same as a kilogram of feathers]], even when his friends demonstrate with a literal kilogram of each material on a scale.
* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': Parker, having SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining, falls victim to this trope regularly.
** She spends the entirety of "The Miracle Job" convinced Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus are the same person. Parker gets it by the end of the episode, but she keeps having to be corrected way too many times.
** Throughout "The Juror #12 Job", she just cannot remember that "Alice White" is one of her aliases and not someone else entirely. Three seasons later, Parker ''still'' can't fully wrap her head around the notion that she is Alice.

[[folder:Theater]]

* ''Series/TheWhitestKidsYouKnow'': in the bank robbery sketch, the leader shows blueprints for the bank they plan to rob. Train Bike has a problem with understanding it's two levels of the same building and not two different buildings. This ends up costing them their first attempt. [[StupidCrooks The next attempts don't go any better.]]

* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': A RunningGag throughout "The Juror #12 Job" is Parker's inability to remember that "Alice White" is one of her aliases and not someone else entirely. Three seasons later, she ''still'' can't fully wrap her head around the notion that she is Alice.

** One episode has the military ask Creator/MNightShyamalyan and Creator/MichaelBay for help in defeating the terrorists occupying Imaginationland. The first describes a bunch of plot twists, the second a long action sequence where everything explodes. When told what they just said doesn't help at all, their response is to stare blankly back at the general.

'''MichaelBay:''' ... I don't understand the difference.
:: When Creator/MelGibson comes in, he's insane, but they say at least he understands story structure.

* In this [[https://extraneousdominomask.tumblr.com/post/162205227287/a-zooplecoop-where-nick-and-judy-interrogating-a ficlet]] [[WesternAnimation/Zootopia Nick and Judy]] capture one of Muggshot's guard dogs and keeps it in the interrogation room. [[VideoGame/SlyCooper Carmelita]] tries to explain the difference between [[FurryConfusion dogs like Muggshot and dogs like the guard dog]] but to no avail.