History Main / WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife

-->-- ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', when Sam sees the body of a warrior of the Haradrim

** Thomas Cromwell, while dealing with the prophesying nun [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Barton Elizabeth Barton]], feels that she was looking for attention than anything else, was probably abused, and that she was [[UnwittingPawn unfairly exploited]] by the monks, the Poles, and the Courtenays without realizing the consequences of her actions. When doing the paperwork to have her executed and her paltry assets seized, he provides her the bribe she'll need so that the hangman will let her die quickly.

* In some novels of TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} you find that not all the imperial commanders think about their troops as expendable cannon fodder and they will condemn their [[GeneralFailure collegues]] who seem to keep using HollywoodTactics to achieve their military objectives, or just let people (including civilians) get massacred due their incompetence.

Beware: this trope '''inherently reveals death or loss.''' There might be unmarked spoilers.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': in one of the series' more subtle and moving moments, [[http://i.imgur.com/CS9F2r9.png Goku's face]] after killing Freeza conveys this sentiment; he doesn't look satisfied with his victory at all, just shaken and disappointed. Notable in that Goku had tried against all reason to spare Freeza's life ''after Freeza killed his best friend and his entire race'', only for the tyrant to throw Goku's mercy back in his face, try to backstab him, and finally force Goku's hand. The movement lines in the preceding panel indicate that Goku's arm was actually ''trembling'' after striking the final blow, such was his regret. It's possibly the only time in the series where it's truly made apparent that, for all his BloodKnight tendencies and previous UnstoppableRage, Goku is at heart a KindheartedSimpleton that detests killing and suffering and was never ready for the depravity he saw when the ill-fitting "savior of the galaxy" role was foisted onto him by circumstance.

* ''[[Lightnovel/FullMetalPanic Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid]]''. Gates says this after [[BadBoss murdering one of his own mooks]] for backchatting him. But he's just plain nuts.

* In ''LightNovel/SoImASpiderSoWhat'' Julius regrets the death of Blow, a WorthyOpponent who also had a brother waiting at home. The nearby Shiraori instead respects Blow's death as proof of his determination and pride.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'': While many murders fall into this category, in a Season 7 episode aptly titled "Senseless", Logan is particularly disturbed to learn that three teenagers died in what started as a squabble over an iPhone that was escalated by the main perpetrator's delusional state and general sociopathy.

* [[spoiler:Iserina]] from the Anime/MobileSuitGundam TV series tries to avenge the death of her boyfriend, [[spoiler:Garma Zabi]] She only ends up dead, and the White Base crew end up reflecting on how useless her RoaringRampageOfRevenge was.

* Volume 15 of Manga/FullmetalAlchemist is this trope, due to its focus on the characters' flashback on Ishvallan War.

* In Manga/OnePiece, the Marines' Buster Call never fails to bring about these moments.

* The ''Series/AdamTwelve'' episode "Log 52: Good Cop – Handle with Care," where two freelance journalists harass Malloy and Reed as they go about their daily beat. Despite Malloy warning the two that their actions will cause a tragedy, the pair continue to hassle the show's main protagonists, and things eventually reach the trope making point when the officers stop a car operated by armed robbery suspects. One of the reporters taunts the officers, and in the process one of the robbers shoots – and fatally wounds – an innocent passer-by (a father with two young children at home). Malloy is very angry at the journalists and basically tells them, "Look what you've done now!"

* A running motif throughout ''Film/CaptainClegg'' is when naval officer Captain Collier (an InspectorJavert type character) is unwilling to remove his NiceHat. When he's in the service of the king, he won't, but off-duty and in the service of his maker (i.e. in church) he will. So at the end of the movie, when he sees the dead body of his enemy (the titular Clegg), he removes his hat.

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': in one of the series' more subtle and moving moments, [[http://i.imgur.com/CS9F2r9.png Goku's face]] after killing Freeza conveys this sentiment; he doesn't look satisfied with his victory at all, just shaken and disappointed. Notable in that Goku had tried against all reason to spare Freeza's life ''after Freeza killed his best friend and his entire race'', only for the tyrant to throw Goku's mercy back in his face, try to backstab him, and finally force Goku's hand. The movement lines in the preceding panel indicate that Goku's arm was actually ''trembling'' after striking the final blow, such was his regret. It's possibly the only time in the series where it's truly made apparent that, for all his BloodKnight tendencies and previous UnstoppableRage, Goku is at heart a KindheartedSimpleton that detests killing and suffering and was never ready for the depravity he saw when the ill-fitting "savior of the galaxy" role was hoisted onto him by circumstance.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', Voldemort says at the battle of Hogwarts that he hates to see magical blood spilled because it is such a waste. (And given the population of wizards in the Harry Potter universe, it ''is a waste!''. Mainly because he wants to conscript any witches or wizards still breathing into being Death Eaters, [[MindRape like it or not]].)

*** Actually that instance was triggered ''accidentally'' by [[SmugSnake Spandam]]. However, that just makes it even more senseless.

* Pick a CopShow, any cop show.
** A standout example: The ''Series/AdamTwelve'' episode "Log 52: Good Cop – Handle with Care," where two freelance journalists harass Malloy and Reed as they go about their daily beat. Despite Malloy warning the two that their actions will cause a tragedy, the pair continue to hassle the show's main protagonists, and things eventually reach the trope making point when the officers stop a car operated by armed robbery suspects. One of the reporters taunts the officers, and in the process one of the robbers shoots – and fatally wounds – an innocent passer-by (a father with two young children at home). Malloy is very angry at the journalists and basically tells them, "Look what you've done now!"
* Parodied in the ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' "Cheese Shop" sketch where Creator/JohnCleese's character shoots the shop proprietor (Creator/MichaelPalin) after learning the place is completely devoid of cheese, then comments, "[[TropeNamers What a senseless waste of human life.]]"
** And leaves after [[TheDrifter putting on a cowboy hat]] he pulled out of nowhere.