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** [[DisproportionateReward The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it.]] Bob gets a gold-plated Troper of the Year trophy for making a single edit.

to:

** [[DisproportionateReward The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it.]] it]]. Bob gets a gold-plated Troper of the Year trophy for making a single edit.
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** Actually owing the "Troper of the Year" award makes it seem less impressive then it was when it was something he could only dream of having.

to:

** Actually owing owning the "Troper of the Year" award makes it seem less impressive then it was when it was something he could only dream of having.
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** When asked why nobody seems to win the Troper of the Year award, Bob's boss tells him that it's the feeling of almost having it that's worth the struggle rather than actually getting it -- [[MeanBoss which is why Bob's payday keeps getting postponed]].

to:

** When asked why nobody seems to win the Troper of the Year award, Bob's boss tells him that it's the feeling of almost having it that's worth the struggle rather than actually getting it -- [[MeanBoss which is also why Bob's everyone's payday keeps getting postponed]].

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* '''Parodied''': Bob risks his life several times, spends years mastering new skills, goes on a trek through the wilderness, and puts in superhuman levels of effort into his job, and is given a box of cereal.

to:

* '''Parodied''': '''Parodied''':
**
Bob risks his life several times, spends years mastering new skills, goes on a trek through the wilderness, and puts in superhuman levels of effort into his job, and is given a box of cereal.cereal.
** When asked why nobody seems to win the Troper of the Year award, Bob's boss tells him that it's the feeling of almost having it that's worth the struggle rather than actually getting it -- [[MeanBoss which is why Bob's payday keeps getting postponed]].

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* '''Justified''': The things Bob experienced on the way to the prize are far more valuable than the prize -- those ten years of effort made Bob a far better person and he experienced things he never would have otherwise. No trophy can measure up to that.

to:

* '''Justified''': '''Justified''':
**
The things Bob experienced on the way to the prize are far more valuable than the prize -- those ten years of effort made Bob a far better person and he experienced things he never would have otherwise. No trophy can measure up to that.that.
** Now that he's achieved victory, [[VictoryIsBoring he has nothing to strive and compete for]], [[SoWhatDoWeDoNow leaving him with nothing more to do]].
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Added the traditional self-demonstrating link back to the main page.


Back to WantingIsBetterThanHaving

to:

Back You could go back to WantingIsBetterThanHavingWantingIsBetterThanHaving... But perhaps wishing you were there is better than actually being there.
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That's not a subversion of a subversion — it's a subversion of an inversion.


* '''Double Subverted''': Over time, Bob grows to realize [[MiseryBuildsCharacter the misery he incurred made him grow as a person]].

to:

* '''Double Subverted''': Over time, Bob grows to realize [[MiseryBuildsCharacter the misery he incurred made him grow as a person]].???

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* '''Played for Laughs''': Bob is handed the ''specs of the award'' for his efforts, since the Troper Society felt designing an award was a much more fulfilling experience for them than getting one made.
* '''Played for Drama''': Bob has been deliberately sabotaging any attempt at winning the award for years so he can always wish he had it.



%%* '''Plotted a Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played for Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played for Drama''': ???

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%%* '''Plotted a Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played for Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played for Drama''':
???

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Changed: 546

Removed: 63

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* '''Justified''': The things Bob experienced on the way to the prize are far more valuable than the prize - those ten years of effort made Bob a far better person, and he experienced things he never would have otherwise. What trophy can measure up to that?

to:

* '''Justified''': The things Bob experienced on the way to the prize are far more valuable than the prize - -- those ten years of effort made Bob a far better person, person and he experienced things he never would have otherwise. What No trophy can measure up to that?that.



** The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it. Bob gets a gold-plated Troper Of The Year trophy for making a single edit.

to:

** [[DisproportionateReward The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it. it.]] Bob gets a gold-plated Troper Of The of the Year trophy for making a single edit.



* '''Double Subverted''': Over time, Bob grows to realize the misery he suffered made him grow as a person.

to:

* '''Double Subverted''': Over time, Bob grows to realize [[MiseryBuildsCharacter the misery he suffered incurred made him grow as a person.person]].



* '''Zig Zagged''': The rewards seem pathetic until Bob reads the list of his rewards and realizes that he's being paid a large amount every month, which he uses to retire, but then it turns out the money doesn't stretch as far as he thought and, despite his titanic amount of effort, he continues, little better off than he was before, but having grown as a person. Then it turns out that he hasn't changed at all and that the reward was far disproportionate to his actual level of effort, and he just squandered it.

to:

* '''Zig Zagged''': '''Zig-Zagged''': The rewards seem pathetic until Bob reads the list of his rewards and realizes that he's being paid a large amount every month, which he uses to retire, but then it turns out the money doesn't stretch as far as he thought and, despite his titanic amount of effort, he continues, little better off than he was before, but having grown as a person. Then it turns out that he hasn't changed at all and that the reward was far disproportionate to his actual level of effort, and he just squandered it.



* '''Enforced''': Bob is the ButtMonkey in the show, and deflating his unrealistic expectations is a normal occurrence.

to:

* '''Enforced''': Bob is the ButtMonkey in the show, show and [[YankTheDogsChain deflating his unrealistic expectations expectations]] is a normal occurrence.



* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately over-exaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations, hoping to get him to apply himself and become better for it.

to:

* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately over-exaggerates exaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations, hoping to get him to apply himself and become better for it.



* '''Deconstructed''': The lack of a significant reward makes Bob consider the journey wasted - if nobody appreciates his effort, then he never wants to try as hard as that again. After all, it doesn't get him anything. Bob becomes a bitter underachiever.

to:

* '''Implied''': Bob expresses his anticipation at the thought of winning Troper of the Year, whatever he did to get it is an OffscreenMomentOfAwesome, and then comes a GilliganCut to him frowning at his tacky little medal.
* '''Deconstructed''': The lack of a significant reward makes Bob consider the journey wasted - -- if nobody appreciates his effort, then he never wants to try as hard as that again. After all, it doesn't get him anything. Bob becomes a bitter underachiever.



%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
%%
%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

to:

%% Optional %%Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
%%
%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A a Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For for Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For for Drama''': ???

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Changed: 336

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** Or, after Bob travels 500 miles for the award ceremony, he doesn't attend. The journey was its own reward.
* '''Downplayed''': Bob gets a reward which is still quite appropriate to the level of effort put in, but in his nostalgia later on he remembers the fun he had doing it moreso than the reward he ultimately got.

to:

** Or, after After Bob travels 500 miles for the award ceremony, he doesn't attend. The journey was its own reward.
* '''Downplayed''': '''Downplayed''':
**
Bob gets a reward which is still quite appropriate to the level of effort put in, but in his nostalgia later on he remembers the fun he had doing it moreso than the reward he ultimately got.got.
** Actually owing the "Troper of the Year" award makes it seem less impressive then it was when it was something he could only dream of having.



* '''Inverted''': The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it. Bob gets a gold-plated Troper Of The Year trophy for making a single edit.

to:

* '''Inverted''': '''Inverted''':
**
The reward is far greater than the effort spent in achieving it. Bob gets a gold-plated Troper Of The Year trophy for making a single edit.edit.
** The journey was utterly miserable and Bob is glad to have it behind him. Likewise, the reward lets him live HappilyEverAfter, content that his struggle is over.



** The journey was utterly miserable and Bob is glad to have it behind him. Likewise, the reward lets him live HappilyEverAfter, content that his struggle is over.
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* '''Exploited''': ???

to:

* '''Exploited''': ???Bob attempts to pursue multiple meaningless rewards just so that he can better himself and gain more experiences to look back on by the time he grows old.
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Added DiffLines:

** After obtaining the Troper of the Year trophy, Bob wonders if what he really wanted was the effort spent and experienced gained while he was working toward acquiring this trophy. He confirms that yes, it was the trophy he wanted, and celebrates regardless of the quality of said trophy.
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** The journey was utterly miserable and Bob is glad to have it behind him. Likewise, the reward lets him live HappilyEverAfter, content that his struggles are over.

to:

** The journey was utterly miserable and Bob is glad to have it behind him. Likewise, the reward lets him live HappilyEverAfter, content that his struggles are struggle is over.



* '''Averted''': There is no "Troper of the Year" award or trophy.

to:

* '''Averted''': There Bob is no "Troper of happy with the Year" award or trophy.reward he is given and thinks it perfectly valid for the effort he put in.

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Added standarized \'Playing With Wiki\' template


* '''Deconstructed''': The lack of a significant reward makes Bob consider the journey wasted - if nobody appreciates his effort, then he never wants to try as hard as that again. After all, it doesn't get him anything. Bob becomes a bitter underachiever.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice snaps Bob out of the funk by informing him that even if the reward is less than what he expected, he's also won the respect and admiration of many others (including herself) by winning it.



* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately overexaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations, hoping to get him to apply himself and become better for it.

to:

* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately overexaggerates over-exaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations, hoping to get him to apply himself and become better for it.it.
* '''Exploited''': ???


Added DiffLines:

* '''Deconstructed''': The lack of a significant reward makes Bob consider the journey wasted - if nobody appreciates his effort, then he never wants to try as hard as that again. After all, it doesn't get him anything. Bob becomes a bitter underachiever.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice snaps Bob out of the funk by informing him that even if the reward is less than what he expected, he's also won the respect and admiration of many others (including herself) by winning it.


Added DiffLines:

----
%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
%%
%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

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The trope isn\'t about trophies or material reward, it\'s about journey versus destination.


* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the glittery "Troper of the Year" award, only to be disappointed when he discovers the trophy is a cheap plastic toy.

to:

* '''Straight''': '''Straight''':
**
After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the glittery "Troper of the Year" award, only to be disappointed when he discovers the trophy is a cheap plastic toy.toy.
** Bob makes a major accomplishment, but while he receives the empty praise of his peers, it's not anywhere near as fulfilling as he thought it would be.



* '''Justified''': Bob has previously only seen the trophy in a faded photograph, and misidentified its make and quality.
* '''Inverted''': Previous "Troper of the Year" trophies have been cheap plastic toys, but the year Bob wins happens to be when it gets upgraded to a massive gold-plated prize.

to:

* '''Downplayed''': Bob gets a reward which is still quite appropriate to the level of effort put in, but in his nostalgia later on he remembers the fun he had doing it moreso than the reward he ultimately got.
* '''Justified''': The things Bob has previously only seen experienced on the way to the prize are far more valuable than the prize - those ten years of effort made Bob a far better person, and he experienced things he never would have otherwise. What trophy in a faded photograph, and misidentified its make and quality.
can measure up to that?
* '''Inverted''': Previous "Troper of The reward is far greater than the Year" trophies have been cheap plastic toys, but the year effort spent in achieving it. Bob wins happens to be when it gets upgraded to a massive gold-plated prize.Troper Of The Year trophy for making a single edit.



** After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob realizes how shallow his pursuit of material worth was, and grows as a person.
** After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.
* '''Double Subverted''': Bob's "emotional growth" was actually a facade and the first step of his mental breakdown.
* '''Parodied''': ???
* '''Deconstructed''': After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob falls into a depressed funk when he thinks about all the time and effort he wasted trying to win it.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice proceeds to snap Bob out of the funk by informing him that even if the trophy's just a cheap plastic toy, he's also won the respect of many other tropers by winning it, and that that respect is worth more than any golden trophy.
* '''Zig Zagged''': ???

to:

** After discovering The journey was utterly miserable and Bob is glad to have it behind him. Likewise, the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob realizes how shallow reward lets him live HappilyEverAfter, content that his pursuit of material worth was, and grows as a person.
struggles are over.
** After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob doesn't care, and becomes ecstatic.
ecstatic. He has a trophy!
* '''Double Subverted''': Bob's "emotional growth" was actually a facade and Over time, Bob grows to realize the first step of his mental breakdown.
misery he suffered made him grow as a person.
* '''Parodied''': ???
Bob risks his life several times, spends years mastering new skills, goes on a trek through the wilderness, and puts in superhuman levels of effort into his job, and is given a box of cereal.
* '''Deconstructed''': After discovering The lack of a significant reward makes Bob consider the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob falls into a depressed funk when he thinks about all the time and effort he journey wasted trying - if nobody appreciates his effort, then he never wants to win it.
try as hard as that again. After all, it doesn't get him anything. Bob becomes a bitter underachiever.
* '''Reconstructed''': Alice proceeds to snap snaps Bob out of the funk by informing him that even if the trophy's just a cheap plastic toy, reward is less than what he expected, he's also won the respect and admiration of many other tropers others (including herself) by winning it, and that that respect is worth more than any golden trophy.
it.
* '''Zig Zagged''': ???The rewards seem pathetic until Bob reads the list of his rewards and realizes that he's being paid a large amount every month, which he uses to retire, but then it turns out the money doesn't stretch as far as he thought and, despite his titanic amount of effort, he continues, little better off than he was before, but having grown as a person. Then it turns out that he hasn't changed at all and that the reward was far disproportionate to his actual level of effort, and he just squandered it.



* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately overexaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations.
* '''Defied''': Alice warns Bob ahead of time that the "Troper of the Year" award is no big deal.
* '''Discussed''': "Bob, your expectations for that award are so ridiculously high, you're bound to be disappointed when you finally win it."

to:

* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately overexaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations.
expectations, hoping to get him to apply himself and become better for it.
* '''Defied''': Alice warns Bob ahead of time that the "Troper of the Year" award is no big deal.
deal and he should be chasing it for the fun of it.
* '''Discussed''': "Bob, your expectations for that award are so ridiculously high, you're bound to be disappointed when you finally win it.know the whole point of this is the journey and not the reward, right? That trophy's not nearly as shiny as they make it look."

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* '''Exaggerated''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.

to:

* '''Exaggerated''': '''Exaggerated''':
**
After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.



* '''Subverted''': After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob realizes how shallow his pursuit of material worth was, and grows as a person.

to:

* '''Subverted''': '''Subverted''':
**
After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob realizes how shallow his pursuit of material worth was, and grows as a person.
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None

Added DiffLines:

** Or, after Bob travels 500 miles for the award ceremony, he doesn't attend. The journey was its own reward.

Added: 77

Changed: 99

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* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the glittery "Troper of the Year" trophy, only to be disappointed when he discovers it's a cheap plastic toy.

to:

* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the glittery "Troper of the Year" trophy, award, only to be disappointed when he discovers it's the trophy is a cheap plastic toy.



** After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.



* '''Parodied''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.

to:

* '''Parodied''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.???
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None


* '''Reconstructed''': ???

to:

* '''Reconstructed''': ???Alice proceeds to snap Bob out of the funk by informing him that even if the trophy's just a cheap plastic toy, he's also won the respect of many other tropers by winning it, and that that respect is worth more than any golden trophy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* '''Discussed''': "Bob, you're inevitably going to be disappointed with the award because your expectations are unreasonably excessive."

to:

* '''Discussed''': "Bob, your expectations for that award are so ridiculously high, you're inevitably going bound to be disappointed with the award because your expectations are unreasonably excessive.when you finally win it."
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None


* '''Justified''': Bob has previously only seen the award in photographs, and misidentified the quality of the trophy.

to:

* '''Justified''': Bob has previously only seen the award trophy in photographs, a faded photograph, and misidentified the quality of the trophy.its make and quality.



* '''Subverted''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.
* '''Double Subverted''': ???
* '''Parodied''': ???
* '''Deconstructed''': ???

to:

* '''Subverted''': After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.
realizes how shallow his pursuit of material worth was, and grows as a person.
* '''Double Subverted''': ???
Bob's "emotional growth" was actually a facade and the first step of his mental breakdown.
* '''Parodied''': ???
After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.
* '''Deconstructed''': ???After discovering the trophy is actually a cheap plastic toy, Bob falls into a depressed funk when he thinks about all the time and effort he wasted trying to win it.



* '''Averted''': ???

to:

* '''Averted''': ???There is no "Troper of the Year" award or trophy.
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None


* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the "Troper of the Year" trophy, only to be disappointed when he discovers it's a cheap plastic toy.

to:

* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the glittery "Troper of the Year" trophy, only to be disappointed when he discovers it's a cheap plastic toy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* '''Inverted''': Previous "Troper of the Year" trophies have been cheap plastic toys, but it gets upgraded to a massive gold-plated trophy when Bob wins.

to:

* '''Inverted''': Previous "Troper of the Year" trophies have been cheap plastic toys, but the year Bob wins happens to be when it gets upgraded to a massive gold-plated trophy when Bob wins.prize.

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Click the edit button to start this new page.

to:

Click '''Basic Trope''': A character doggedly pursues a goal, only to realize after achieving it that the edit button pursuit was better than the result.
* '''Straight''': After ten years of effort, Bob finally wins the "Troper of the Year" trophy, only
to start be disappointed when he discovers it's a cheap plastic toy.
* '''Exaggerated''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
* '''Justified''': Bob has previously only seen the award in photographs, and misidentified the quality of the trophy.
* '''Inverted''': Previous "Troper of the Year" trophies have been cheap plastic toys, but it gets upgraded to a massive gold-plated trophy when Bob wins.
* '''Subverted''': After discovering the trophy is a cheap plastic toy, Bob becomes ecstatic.
* '''Double Subverted''': ???
* '''Parodied''': ???
* '''Deconstructed''': ???
* '''Reconstructed''': ???
* '''Zig Zagged''': ???
* '''Averted''': ???
* '''Enforced''': Bob is the ButtMonkey in the show, and deflating his unrealistic expectations is a normal occurrence.
* '''Lampshaded''': Alice comments to Bob that none of the awards she's won ever lived up to her expectations.
* '''Invoked''': Alice, a previous award winner, deliberately overexaggerates the prize to give Bob unrealistic expectations.
* '''Defied''': Alice warns Bob ahead of time that the "Troper of the Year" award is no big deal.
* '''Discussed''': "Bob, you're inevitably going to be disappointed with the award because your expectations are unreasonably excessive."
* '''Conversed''': "It's always fun watching Bob's expectations get deflated on
this new page. show."
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