History Main / ViewerMyopia

What happens when the audience has a tendency to forget that the characters aren't being presented with the same information, view, and [[GenreSavvy experience with the genre]] that the audience has.

In cases of Viewer Myopia, things that are so utterly embedded in the public consciousness that everyone is assumed to know them wind up being applied to the characters as well, since obviously they're people too. Things the viewer takes for granted because they've been presented to them in an obvious way seem like they should be obvious to the character too, even if there's no real reason to think this. In addition, things the audience sees coming plainly because they're genre tropes we've been exposed to all our lives probably aren't quite so obvious to characters that have no clue they're living in a comic book or crime drama or action film. Finally, [[ConservationOfDetail the viewer is only ever shown those snapshots of the characters' lives which are most relevant to the plot]], which means that, just like people in the real world, they might have other worries, activities, or interests occupying their time off-screen.

This can get especially bad with series that have [[LongRunners run long enough]] that even those who have never so much as read a single issue or watched a single episode can be assumed to have a [[PopculturalOsmosis reasonable chance of knowing these things]]. Probably not helping are a number of comedies and [[ShallowParody unthoughtful parodies]] that LampShade this or take it to extremes, which can make the viewer feel like they're in on some joke the characters aren't. [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife Making everyone and their dog aware of every single trope out there almost certainly doesn't help]]. ... Ahem.

Basically, if someone is saying "Oh come on, he was ''so'' obviously the Evil Overlord shapeshifted into a teenager and pretending to be your best friend for ten years all along!", they're indulging in this trope.

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!!!Examples:

* {{Superman}} is probably the ultimate example of this, and has been for decades (since the Silver Age at the least). For instance, a remarkable number of criminals seemed to not only know that Superman was weakened by Kryptonite, but exactly what each color of Kryptonite would do... [[PlotHole even if it was that color of Kryptonite's first time showing up]]. Because ''everyone'' knows Superman is hurt by Kryptonite!
** But even more than that is the whole [[GrandfatherClause "people don't know Clark Kent is Superman wearing glasses" deal.]] Again, having gotten blatant enough that even characters in-universe who are in on the secret have mocked others for not getting it. And the number of times "Clark Kent and Superman are never in the same place together!" is used as evidence is almost appalling.
* Hinata being in love with {{Naruto}}. Note that she tends to do her fawning over him from a distance, behind his back, or from around corners, often with him never even knowing she's there. But could it ''be'' more obvious?
* Any time some DumbBlonde in a horror movie is counted as being a complete idiot for going upstairs because the psycho killer is up there. I mean, we just ''[[IncrediblyLamePun saw]]'' him ''sneak up there'', geez! And who goes upstairs in their own home, anyway? This also applies to DeathBySex and various other horror movie tropes where characters are referred to as "just asking to be killed" by going skinny-dipping and such. While stripping down in the woods or at the lake for a bit of naughty fun might not be the brightest thing ever, "Chainsaw-masked psycho killers" are not generally a warning given in sex ed class or a hazard tipped off by common sense, [[GenreSavvy unless you know you're in a horror movie]]. The ''Franchise/{{Scream}}'' movies (and their ''ScaryMovie'' parodies) are thus essentially ViewerMyopia: TheMovie.
* In ''{{Juno}}'', the viewers can see that Mark is simply not that enthusiastic about raising a kid and being around Juno made him feel like a "cool rock star". Everything about how Mark and Vanessa's relationship wasn't quite right was already evident from their first scene and the rest of the movie highlights it. So when Mark [[spoiler: attempts to kiss Juno and leaves Vanessa when she was going to adopt]], Juno was surprised. It was just that she either didn't realize it or chose to ignore it.

[[AC:Theatre]]
* People with [[UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism autism]] are more likely to have what psychologists call a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind#Deficits theory of mind deficit]]" or "mind blindness". The short play ''Theatre/TheSallyAnneTest'' by Simon Baron-Cohen (the cousin of a [[SachaBaronCohen famous comic actor]]) invokes this as part of a psychological test designed to measure this in viewers who may have a learning disability. First, Sally and Anne are introduced, and the examiner makes sure viewers know their names. Each is carrying a basket. Sally puts a marble in her basket, puts the basket down, and exits. Anne takes the marble out of Sally's basket and puts it in her own basket. Sally returns, and viewers are asked where Sally is about to look for the marble. The viewer passes if he believes that Sally will first look in her own basket. A viewer who believes that Sally will first look in Anne's basket has mind blindness and has fallen victim to this trope. Baron-Cohen originally staged it as a puppet show; Leslie and Frith staged a production with live actors to rule out the objection that children might not attribute theory of mind to dolls.

* People with [[UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism autism]] are more likely to have what psychologists call a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind#Deficits theory of mind deficit]]" or "mind blindness". The short play ''Theatre/TheSallyAnneTest'' by Simon Baron-Cohen (the cousin of a [[SachaBarenCohen famous comic actor]]) invokes this as part of a psychological test designed to measure this in viewers who may have a learning disability. First, Sally and Anne are introduced, and the examiner makes sure viewers know their names. Each is carrying a basket. Sally puts a marble in her basket, puts the basket down, and exits. Anne takes the marble out of Sally's basket and puts it in her own basket. Sally returns, and viewers are asked where Sally is about to look for the marble. The viewer passes if he believes that Sally will first look in her own basket. A viewer who believes that Sally will first look in Anne's basket has mind blindness and has fallen victim to this trope. Baron-Cohen originally staged it as a puppet show; Leslie and Frith staged a production with live actors to rule out the objection that children might not attribute theory of mind to dolls.

* People with [[UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism autism]] are more likely to have what psychologists call a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind#Deficits theory of mind deficit]]" or "mind blindness". The short play ''Theatre/TheSallyAnneTest'' by Simon Baron-Cohen ([[Creator/SachaBarenCohen no relation]], I assume) invokes this as part of a psychological test designed to measure this in viewers who may have a learning disability. First, Sally and Anne are introduced, and the examiner makes sure viewers know their names. Each is carrying a basket. Sally puts a marble in her basket, puts the basket down, and exits. Anne takes the marble out of Sally's basket and puts it in her own basket. Sally returns, and viewers are asked where Sally is about to look for the marble. The viewer passes if he believes that Sally will first look in her own basket. A viewer who believes that Sally will first look in Anne's basket has mind blindness and has fallen victim to this trope. Baron-Cohen originally staged it as a puppet show; Leslie and Frith staged it production with live actors

[[AC:RealLife]]
* People with [[UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism autism]] tend to have this effect about other people. Psychologists call it a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind#Deficits theory of mind deficit]]" or "mind blindness".

This can get especially bad with series that have run long enough that even those who have never so much as read a single issue or watched a single episode can be assumed to have a reasonable chance of knowing these things. Probably not helping are a number of comedies and [[ShallowParody unthoughtful parodies]] that LampShade this or take it to extremes, which can make the viewer feel like they're in on some joke the characters aren't. [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife Making everyone and their dog aware of every single trope out there almost certainly doesn't help]]. ... Ahem.

* In ''{{Juno}}'', the viewers can see that Mark is simply not that enthusiastic about raising a kid and being around Juno made him feel like a "cool rock star". Everything about how Mark and Vanessa's relationship wasn't quite right was already evident from their first scene and the rest of the movie highlights it. So when Mark [[spoiler: attempts to kiss Juno and leaves Vanessa when she was going to adopt]], Juno was surprised. It was just that she either didn't realize it or chose to ignore it.

ViewerMyopia is what happens when the audience has a tendency to forget that the characters aren't being presented with the same information, view, and [[GenreSavvy experience with the genre]] that the audience has.

ViewerMyopia is what happens when the audience has a tendency to forget that the characters aren't being presented with the same information, view, and [[GenreSavvy experience with the genre]] that the audience has. Things that are so utterly embedded in the public consciousness that everyone is assumed to know them wind up being applied to the characters as well, since obviously they're people too. Things the viewer takes for granted because they've been presented to them in an obvious way seem like they should be obvious to the character too, even if there's no real reason to think this. In addition, things the audience sees coming plainly because they're genre tropes we've been exposed to all our lives probably aren't quite so obvious to characters that have no clue they're living in a comic book or crime drama or action film. Finally, [[ConservationOfDetail the viewer is only ever shown those snapshots of the characters' lives which are most relevant to the plot]], which means that, just like people in the real world, they might have other worries, activities, or interests occupying their time off-screen.

So the hero can't see that his UnluckyChildhoodFriend is in love with him, despite it being utterly obvious with all the longing glances she casts at his back. And the hero's LoveInterest can't put together the blatant clues that her nebbishy partner and the masked vigilante are the same guy, even though her partner always disappears at times it would be good to run away, and the hero always shows up at the scene of crimes. And the hero didn't even see the EvilPlan the villain set up coming even though it's been so [[DeadHorseTrope done to death]] that it should have been plain from a mile off.

What is ''wrong'' with these characters?! It's like they're not even '''watching''' the series they're in!

* Any time some DumbBlonde in a horror movie is counted as being a complete idiot for going upstairs because the psycho killer is up there. I mean, we just ''[[IncrediblyLamePun saw]]'' him ''sneak up there'', geez! And who goes upstairs in their own home, anyway? This also applies to DeathBySex and various other horror movie tropes where characters are referred to as "just asking to be killed" by going skinny-dipping and such. While stripping down in the woods or at the lake for a bit of naughty fun might not be the brightest thing ever, "Chainsaw-masked psycho killers" are not generally a warning given in sex ed class or a hazard tipped off by common sense, [[GenreSavvy unless you know you're in a horror movie]]. The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' movies (and their ''ScaryMovie'' parodies) are thus essentially ViewerMyopia: TheMovie.

** But even more than that is the whole "people don't know Clark Kent is Superman wearing glasses" deal. Again, having gotten blatant enough that even characters in-universe who are in on the secret have mocked others for not getting it. And the number of times "Clark Kent and Superman are never in the same place together!" is used as evidence is almost appalling.

ViewerMyopia is what happens when the audience has a tendency to forget that the characters aren't being presented with the same information, view, and [[GenreSavvy experience with the genre]] that the audience has. Things that are so utterly embedded in the public consciousness that everyone is assumed to know them wind up being applied to the characters as well, since obviously they're people too. Things the viewer takes for granted because they've been presented to them in an obvious way seem like they should be obvious to the character too, even if there's no real reason to think this. In addition, things the audience sees coming plainly because they're genre tropes we've been exposed to all our lives probably aren't quite so obvious to characters that have no clue they're living in a comic book or crime drama or action film.

* Any time some DumbBlonde in a horror movie is counted as being a complete idiot for going upstairs because the psycho killer is up there. I mean, we just ''[[IncrediblyLamePun saw]]'' him ''sneak up there'', geez! And who goes upstairs in their own home, anyway? This also applies to DeathBySex and various other horror movie tropes where characters are referred to as "just asking to be killed" by going skinny-dipping and such. While stripping down in the woods or at the lake for a bit of naughty fun might not be the brightest thing ever, "Chainsaw-masked psycho killers" are not generally a warning given in sex ed class or a hazard tipped off by common sense, [[GenreSavvy unless you know you're in a horror movie]]. The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' movies (and their ''ScaryMovie'' parodies) are thus essentially ViewerMyopia: TheMovie.

** But even more than that is the whole "people don't know Clark Kent is Superman wearing glasses" deal. Again, having gotten blatant enough that even characters in-universe who are in on the secret have mocked others for not getting it. And the number of times "Clark Kent and Superman are never in the same place together!" is used as evidence is almost appalling. This troper has never been in the same room with BarackObama, but doubts anyone is going to accuse us of being the same person.
*** {{Batman}} obviously being Bruce Wayne gets the same "never in the same place" evidence. Discounting all the times that both of them ''have'' arranged to be seen with their alternate identities.

* Any time some DumbBlonde in a horror movie is counted as being a complete idiot for going upstairs because the psycho killer is up there. I mean, we just ''[[IncrediblyLamePun saw]]'' him ''sneak up there'', geez! And who goes upstairs in their own home, anyway?
** Also applies to DeathBySex and various other horror movie tropes where characters are referred to as "just asking to be killed" by going skinny-dipping and such. While stripping down in the woods or at the lake for a bit of naughty fun might not be the brightest thing ever, "Chainsaw-masked psycho killers" are not generally a warning given in sex ed class or a hazard tipped off by common sense, [[GenreSavvy unless you know you're in a horror movie]]. The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' movies (and their ''ScaryMovie'' parodies) are thus essentially ViewerMyopia: TheMovie.

** Also applies to DeathBySex and various other horror movie tropes where characters are referred to as "just asking to be killed" by going skinny-dipping and such. While stripping down in the woods or at the lake for a bit of naughty fun might not be the brightest thing ever, "Chainsaw-masked psycho killers" are not generally a warning given in sex ed class or a hazard tipped off by common sense, [[GenreSavvy unless you know you're in a horror movie]]. The ''{{Scream}}'' movies (and their ''Scary Movie'' parodies) are thus essentially ViewerMyopia: TheMovie.

So the hero can't see that his UnluckyChildhoodFriend is in love with him, despite it being utterly obvious with all the longing glances she casts at his back. And the hero's LoveInterest can't put together the blatant clues that her nebbishy partner and the masked vigilante are the same guy, even though her partner always disappears at times it would be good to run away, and the hero always shows up at the scene of crimes. And the hero didn't even see the XanatosGambit the villain set up coming even though it's been so [[DeadHorseTrope done to death]] that it should have been plain from a mile off.

ViewerMyopia is what happens when the audience has a tendency to forget that the characters aren't being presented with the same information, view, and [[GenreSavvy experience with the genre]] that the audience has. [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready Things that are so utterly embedded in the public consciousness that everyone is assumed to know them]] wind up being applied to the characters as well, since obviously they're people too. Things the viewer takes for granted because they've been presented to them in an obvious way seem like they should be obvious to the character too, even if there's no real reason to think this. In addition, things the audience sees coming plainly because they're genre tropes we've been exposed to all our lives probably aren't quite so obvious to characters that have no clue they're living in a comic book or crime drama or action film.