History Main / TheyreCalledPersonalIssuesForAReason

* In the sequel ''VideoGame/KnightsOftheOldRepublic'' Atton Rand really doesn't want the PC to find out about his {{Dark and Troubled Past}}. If you ask him to tell you about his past, he will say that he does not ask questions about the PC's past, so he should be left alone too. He is so unwilling to share that when Kreia digs up the truth via Mand Rape, he agrees to be her pawn so that she doesn't tell the Exile. He will get over it if your influence is high enough, though.

* In the sequel ''VideoGame/Knights of the Old Republic'' Atton Rand really doesn't want the PC to find out about his Dark and Troubled Past. If you ask him to tell you about his past, he will say that he does not ask questions about the PC's past, so he should be left alone too. He is so unwilling to share that when Kreia digs up the truth via Mand Rape, he agrees to be her pawn so that she doesn't tell the Exile. He will get over it if your influence is high enough, though.

* Squall in ''FinalFantasyVIII'' takes this attitude for a good half of the game, believing that everyone has to deal with their own personal issues on their own and there's no point in discussing them. The rest of the cast disagrees.
* The concept is paraphrased by Medoute at the beginning of ''BlazeUnion'''s B route when she's trying to dissuade Siskier from butting into Aegina's past. (Of course, Medoute has things that happened in her past that she doesn't want to talk about, either.) Since Aegina's personal issues start causing huge problems for the party later on, though, she winds up having to discuss them and the point becomes moot. It's also suggested that if the other characters had known a little more about [[AbusiveParents Garlot's personal issues]], he might not have taken such an emotional beating over the course of the canon route.

->"Everyone has something at home they don't want anyone to see; that is one of the functions of a home, to provide a spot to keep such things."
->-- NeroWolfe, ''The Red Box''

* ''TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob.'' When Fructose Riboflavin is at a very low point, alone in a dark room, he starts muttering to himself about the [[FreudianExcuse childhood tragedy]] that started him on his road to villainy. When he realizes Bob overheard him, Riboflavin [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100911.html doesn't take it well.]] He takes it even [[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20100914.html less well]] when Bob points out that said tragedy doesn't justify any of his crimes.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "Zuko Alone", the farmer who takes in Zuko says that his past is his own business. True enough, the revelation to the whole village that Zuko is the Fire Nation prince makes them all turn against him.

->''Wear your broken arm inside your sleeve.''
->-- '''Chinese proverb'''

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'' uses this {{Aesop}} [[{{Anvilicious}} heavily]], particularly in [[spoiler:Onikakushi-hen]], where it serves as a good chunk of the solution, and Tsumihoroboshi-hen. Justified as [[spoiler:Keiichi had ''just'' moved into Hinamizawa, and didn't know or realize just how uncomfortable the village was with said secrets.]]
** In Tsumihoroboshi-hen, this trope is also explicity pointed out. When Rena reveals to Keiichi [[spoiler:that she knows he was the perpetrator of some airsoft gun shootings in his old town,]] he breaks down and confesses to the others. They react with confusion, not understanding why he's telling them this. When Keiichi says that Friends Don't Keep Secrets From Friends, Mion flat-out states that if having friends means confessing every single wrong you've ever done (particularly ones that don't matter anymore), then she doesn't want any friends. That being said, the story also goes out of its way to point out that if you find yourself in a situation that you can't handle alone, then it's okay to rely on your friends. This particular scene is also important in that his friends' kindness toward Keiichi [[spoiler:triggers his memories of Onikakushi-hen. Namely, what [[UnreliableNarrator really happened]] when he killed Rena and Mion]].

It can also be used as a handwave in order to keep TheMasquerade going. Basically, a stranger comes to town and ingratiates himself in a group. Usually, this will be a main character. In order to explain why no one in the group is curious about just why this person WalkingTheEarth has just wandered into town, this aesop is invoked. Sometimes, this can also be the explanation for an UnusuallyUninterestingSight. See also ThereAreNoTherapists.

* Averted in {{Saiyuki}}, surprisingly. At first glance it seems like this would be the case, since all four main characters [[WithFriendsLikeThese don't always get along]] and all have some extremely fucked up issues they definitely keep from everyday conversation. A couple situations help subvert it though. The first is that Goku HATES people keeping secrets from him, as seen when Gojyo's backstory is revealed (though it is Hakkai that tells that particular tale, Gojyo isn't the type to mind Goku knowing). The other is that the one who's most touchy about his issues, Hakkai, and who [[StepfordSmiler tends to bottle things up]] had all the others playing active roles in his backstory. In a [[WordOfGod profile]] of Hakkai Minekura did states that Hakkai desperately wishes he could employ this trope sometimes.

* In ''{{The Inheritance Cycle}}'', Murtagh was fully prepared to spend his entire stay with the [[LaResistance Varden]] in "some rat hole chewing on hardtack" due to his refusal to allow them to read his memories. Although he had confided in Eragon beforehand, he didn't want the knowledge to spread that he was [[spoiler: the son of Morzan, the Rider who helped bring {{Big Bad}} Galbatorix to power.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "Zuko Alone", the farmer who takes in Zuko says that his past is his own business. True enough, the revelation to the whole village that Zuko is the Fire Nation prince makes them all turn against him.

[[AC:Manhwa]]
* Anak from ''TowerOfGod'' keeps it a secret that [[spoiler: her mother was a Princess of Zahard who eloped with a man and her parents were assassinated for that reason]]. [[MagnificentBastard Koon]] finds out and only indicates that Anak has some issues. [[TeamDad Ship Leesoo]] tells her it's alright to keep those secrets with her.

* Anak from ''TowerOfGod'' keeps it a secret that [[spoiler: her mother was a Princess of Zahard who eloped with a man and her parents were assassinated for that reason]]. [[MagnificentBastard Koon]] finds out and only indicates that Anak has some issues. [[TeamDad Ship Leesoo]] tells her it's alright to keep those secrets with her.

* Was sort of the aesop of a ''HowIMetYourMother'' episode where Robin didn't want the group to know why she hates malls. Her secret eventually came out anyway thanks to Barney dredging it up, but she gets over it pretty quickly. So... the episode was about this but in the end there wasn't that much a point made either way because Robin ultimately didn't seem to mind that much that everyone found out.
* In the third season of {{Leverage}}, it turns out that Eliot [[spoiler: used to work for the {{Big Bad}} that they've been chasing for most of the season]] and has not seen fit to enlighten the rest of his crew. He's not willing to elaborate on the details.

* Morgan from {{Criminal Minds}} is willing to risk jail time and the destruction of his career rather than admit to his teammates that [[spoiler: he was sexually abused by the [[MonsterOfTheWeek UnSub of the week]]]]. [[TheProfiler They figure it out anyway]].

* [[MadMen Joan]] forbids the Sterling Cooper secretaries from crying in the break room because she believes that personal issues are meant to be left at home.

'''Examples:'''

* Subverted in Saiyuki, surprisingly. At first glance it seems like this would be the case, since all four main characters [[WithFriendsLikeThese don't always get along]] and all have some extremely fucked up issues they definitely keep from everyday conversation. A couple situations help subvert it though. The first is that Goku HATES people keeping secrets from him, as seen when Gojyo's backstory is revealed (though it is Hakkai that tells that particular tale, Gojyo isn't the type to mind Goku knowing). The other is that the one who's most touchy about his issues, Hakkai, and who [[StepfordSmiler tends to bottle things up]] had all the others playing active roles in his backstory. In a [[WordOfGod profile]] of Hakkai Minekura did states that Hakkai desperately wishes he could employ this trope sometimes.

* [[CallahansCrosstimeSaloon Callahan's]] has a strict "no snooping" rule about the guests' personal issues, which is enforced by the pianist's blackjack. If anyone wants to share their problems (whether it's about their messy divorce or the alien armada poised to annihilate Earth) they are welcome and even invited to do so, but get pushy and you'll end up face down on the driveway with a nasty welt on your head.

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