Line #27 Main/KindnessButton


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6	The opposite of BerserkButton (where a person does something that makes another person unpleasant, especially if it [[OhCrap has bad consequences]]). Kindness Button is when you do something that a person finds so pleasant that he seems to enjoy it and even praise you for it, which you will obviously like. Or you do something you know the person likes. You give a compliment to the [[BrokenBird poor depressed girl]] and [[WhenSheSmiles she will smile at you]], and who knows, she might even go out with you.
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8	Rare cases would be doing something so nice to someone who's a {{Jerkass}} which will turn him into a JerkWithAHeartOfGold or even a NiceGuy. Also, [[MustMakeAmends apologizing and making amends with others you've wronged]] might make them calm down and become happy with you can also be examples of this trope (although [[BuyThemOff using a certain thing they like can easily earn you forgiveness]]). Often people who are afraid of angering someone (especially people with HairTriggerTemper) will push that someone's button. Doing so often also makes the presser EasilyForgiven if they're already guilty of something.
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10	In cases where EvenEvilHasStandards, reminding a villain of their standards may be enough to get them to reconsider their evil ways, or at least to stop and PetTheDog. This is especially true if their standard involves a family member (EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas, EvenEvilHasLovedOnes, EvenMooksHaveLovedOnes) or a soft spot for the vulnerable (WouldNotHurtAChild, NeverHurtAnInnocent). On the other hand, a more serious villain may see compassion as a FatalFlaw that needs to be eradicated because VirtueIsWeakness.
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12	This can invoke the philosophy that GoodFeelsGood. This can lead the character to be friendly to the other [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe because they were nice to said character]]. Often related to MoralityPet and MoralityChain where the former is when a character shows kindness to the {{Jerkass}} and earns gratitude for it or just mentioning this is enough to soften the tough character up while the latter is about a character being the only reason why he remains on the side of good. It can be CutenessProximity if the thing in question is a cute fluffy animal. The non-sexual variant of InstantSeduction.
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14	!!Examples:
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18	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
19	* ''Manga/AkameGaKill'': Tatsumi manages to get on [[ProfessionalKiller his team's]] good side by [[IncorruptiblePurePureness being nice to them all the time]]. His care for them is also why they all like him, including all [[ChickMagnet his female teammates]].
20	* ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam'': Head security maid Konoe Tsurugi is normally very strict and shows no positive emotions. However, when she's in the presence of the puppy Fenris (and in private) she melts and becomes more pleasant because he's so cute.
21	* ''Literature/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon'': [[LittleMissConArtist Liliruca "Lili" Arde]] at first was taking advantage of [[NiceGuy Bell Cranel's kindness]], thinking that he was a naive idiot who didn't realize she was conning him. After she's beaten up and left for death by the members of her own familia, Bell comes back to save her. The fact that he shows to truly care for her causes her to rethink her opinion, even falling in love with him.
22	* ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'':
23	** The one surefire way for Kaguya to treat someone nicely is for them to give validation for her relationship with Shirogane.
24	** How do you get Miko to warm up to you? Just compliment her, as she DesperatelyCravesAffection. The only person who outright abuses this is Fujiwara.
25	* ''Manga/KOn'': Mugi's cakes and other sweets puts everyone in a good mood.
26	** In the first season, Azusa quickly realizes that everybody finds it adorable when she wears cat ears, which leads to her putting them on in the hopes of calming the tension when Mio and Ritsu start fighting. It works, possibly because they felt sorry for pushing her to do it. In the OVA it prompts an EverybodyLaughsEnding when she forgets she's wearing them, and nobody told her.
27	* ''Manga/MariaNoDanzai'': Mari Nagare is a woman determined to get revenge for her son. Once a happily married woman and loving mother, Mari was heartbroken when her son was killed. When she learned that her son Kiritaka Nagare was inhumanly tortured by a satanic group of bullies and was killed in a prank gone wrong, she snapped and swore that she would destroy her son's bullies. Mari threw away her previous life by divorcing her husband, changing her name to her maiden name, Maria Akeboshi, cutting off contact with her friends, getting plastic surgery, and two years later, she's a nurse at the bullies' school to kill them off secretly. Even though Maria may be cold-hearted, she is only ruthless to the bastards who stole her beloved son away from her and to people she sees as tools to continue her revenge. On a different note, she genuinely empathizes with people in trouble, especially bully victims. She makes her nurse's office into a safe space for bully victims; when she sees someone being bullied, she takes the time to talk with the person and offer emotional support. She even shows kindness to a coworker when her boss is pressuring him to drink alcohol; when he says that he doesn't drink, she discreetly replaces the alcohol with water without her boss knowing so her coworker would not get in trouble and he is not forced to consume alcohol.
28	* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', this happens to Gin when Sanji gives him food for free so he doesn't starve to death.
29	** Similarly with Sanji himself, who is quite a jerk to most other guys, but if they are hungry, he will gladly make them some food, and he will even prepare special food for them if they are picky eaters. This is due to an incident in his past that taught him not to underestimate starvation, so he'll give food to anyone no matter if he likes them or not (but if he doesn't like them, he'll beat them up afterwards).
30	* ''Literature/RebuildWorld'': For both Akira and Sheryl who are described as having distorted personalities from growing up in the WrongSideOfTheTracks, hugs are this. For Akira, there's also baths.
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33	[[folder:Film]]
34	* Norman Bates from the ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' film series is usually an AxCrazy TragicVillain undergoing a SplitPersonalityTakeover, but usually whenever another character treats him as a person rather than a freak, his good side will come into play.
35	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}''. Remy manages to press the button of merciless restaurant critic Anton Ego by serving him a simple peasant dish, [[TitleDrop ratatouille]], that sends him flashing back to his own childhood where the dish was a ComfortFood served by his mother.
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38	[[folder:Literature]]
39	* In the children's book ''Black and Blue Magic'' Harry Marco is given a [=Magical Elixer=] which gives him wings. He uses a neighbor's carriage house to take off and land from. He discovers later on that the wife has seen him and, thinking he is a "vision" of an angel, takes it as a sign to amend her shrewish ways.
40	* ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' has [[spoiler:Princess Trini]] who is rude to the protagonist at first, but turns out to be very altruistic when she thinks he is in danger.
41	* In ''Literature/{{Emma}}'', the eponymous protagonist is very snobbish and frequently complains about the Coles, a trade family that she thinks are putting on airs of gentility without being good at it. She's actually quite looking forward to turning down an invitation to a party they're planning and is [[HypocriticalHumor subsequently put out]] when it seems they aren't going to ask her. However, her opinion of them does a 180 turn when they do finally send it and explain the delay as preparing arrangements for her sweet but hypochondriac father's comfort.
42	* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', Fluffy the three-headed dog calms down and fall asleep when [[spoiler:he hears music. ]]
43	* PlayedForLaughs in ''Literature/MondayBeginsOnSaturday'' where the extremely quarrelsome old woman Naina Kievna (strongly implied to be none other than Literature/BabaYaga) turns into the kindest grandmother when Privalov semi-accidentally makes a sound that is probably best described as "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_clicks dental click]]".
44	* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' it surprises Lyrah to find Daylen expressing so much guilt for what his "[[MyGrandsonMyself father]]" did, and her regard for him improves enough that she tells him that he's [[DramaticIrony nothing like Dayless the Conqueror]]. He goes on cloud nine over this, considering it the first real proof that he's [[RedemptionQuest acting like a better person]], and [[MoodSwinger briefly]] acts like a NiceGuy.
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47	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
48	* On ''Series/CutthroatKitchen'', several competitors have won by invoking Antonia Lofaso's Kindness Button, namely making creative or nostalgic use of processed ingredients.
49	* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'': In the {{Backstory}} to "Made a Woman Think I was God", Earl [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin made a woman think he was God]] by speaking to her through her radio, which made her a much nicer person and she became a nun. When he 'fesses up, HilarityEnsues.
50	* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': Dr. Kelso has one "good" day (following the only time per year he and his wife have a romantic evening together) where he's actually in a good mood. Everyone takes advantage of this to ask him to sign off on things (like hospital equipment). [[spoiler:It turns out that he invoked this trope; he isn't really any happier on that day, but he pretends to be so people will only bother him once a year]].
51	** Despite being an abrasive individual, Dr. Cox does have standards and when he sees someone around him cry (especially if it's because of him), he usually goes out of his way to make them feel better. When he meets Denise, an annoying paramedic who never stops talking, he gives her a "The Reason You Suck" Speech before realising that the son she kept talking about is DeadAllAlong, he apologises and brings around his son Jack for her to spend some time with. During an episode where he lays into a teenage girl who has stopped taking her medication, he willingly goes to [[ButtMonkey Elliot]] for advice on how to help her. When he and Dr. Kelso decide to break Molly's indomitable cheerfulness, they take pleasure in it until she starts to cry, and Dr. Cox immediately owns up to messing with her on purpose, and when Dr. Kelso publicly nearly drives Elliot to tears, Dr. Cox responds by punching him in the face and offering Elliot some encouragement before going home to spend time with his son.
52	* Libby from ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' has one in the form of her grandmother. Sabrina discovering this allows her to get Libby to help with her side of the float they are building by claiming she wants to finish it so she can visit her grandmother. It is downplayed however as Libby does help in a [[{{Tsundere}} Tsundere]] kind of way, and she's just as mean in the following episodes.
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55	[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
56	* Literature/TheBible: Romans 12:19-21 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay." On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, [[CruelMercy you will heap burning coals on his head.]]” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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59	[[folder:Video Games]]
60	* The [[KarmaMeter Paragon choices]] from ''Franchise/MassEffect'' are ''literal'' kindness buttons you can select in order to instigate kindness within others.
61	** [[TokenEvilTeammate Ja]][[BrokenBird ck]] is an AxCrazy convict who tries to push everyone else away, refusing to connect with others out of fear [[NeverBeHurtAgain of being betrayed or abused again]]. However, should [[PlayerCharacter Shepard]] choose to provide her emotional support, help her [[DestroyTheAbusiveHome demolish her former prison]], and allow her to let her inner pain out, then she will begin growing fond of Shepard. Depending on the choices you make, [[ShipTease possibly in more ways than one]].
62	** [[CowboyCop Garrus]], a TroubledButCute soldier who's dealt with tragedy after tragedy in his life gains UndyingLoyalty to Commander Shepard if the player chooses to accept [[FireForgedFriends his friendship]]. Again depending on how you play, it can progress much deeper than that if you play as a [[BashBrothers male]] or [[ShipTease female]].
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65	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
66	* ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'': Ema Skye is normally a grumpy person, especially when Klavier is around. This is in large part due to having failed the exam to become a forensic investigator and ending up as a mere detective. But ask her for help doing a scientific investigation, and her perky personality from [[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney her youth]] shows up.
67	* The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' eventually finds out how to prevent Dennis from spilling the beans on him in a pinch: by showering him with gratuitous praise, causing Dennis to stop and thank him for the recognition. Justified by Dennis’s narcissism.
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70	[[folder:Webcomics]]
71	* Invoked in one arc of ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'': in order to keep Pee-Jee from doing something stupid (start beating the crap out of her boss' shallow, racist girlfriend), random pictures of cats are regularly sent to her mobile just before she snaps.
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74	[[folder:Web Original]]
75	* ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'': Jeremy has quite a few buttons that can make him remove a sin from a movie in the "Everything Wrong With" videos, like awesome moments, funny jokes, {{Fanservice}} (especially of the [[GirlOnGirlIsHot lesbian variety]]) and when the filmmakers showcase impressive skill like camera work, visuals, score or writing.
76	** The first half of WesternAnimation/WallE Is another one, to the point that the Timer hits 1:30 ''[[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments before the Sin counter reaches 1!]]''
77	* Kirito in ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' is a {{Jerkass}} who doubles down on his HeroicComedicSociopath tendencies after the girl he was opening up to died. [[ILetGwenStacyDie He blames himself]], and [[TraumaButton anything that reminds him of her]] triggers his ChronicHeroSyndrome, much as he might wish otherwise.
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80	[[folder:Western Animation]]
81	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' episode, "Tiny Timmy", when Timmy visits Vicky's brain, he finds out her emotions are controlled by little people in chairs. One in particular who represented her kindness never showed up for work, so he turns it on himself, suddenly making Vicky a kind and caring person.
82	* In ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', what made Peter so easily earn the love of his kids again after telling them that he hates being around them is buying them an Xbox.
83	* ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'': Pooh happens to push Wooster's in the climax of "The Great Honey Pot Robbery", as the monster friend of Stan and Heff instantly takes a liking to him once Pooh asks to share his honey with him.
84	* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': [[Characters/RickAndMortyRickSanchez Rick Sanchez]] has shown to at least be nice to people who laugh at his jokes.
85	** "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind": He takes a liking to a nearby creature who laughs at his jokes, only for Evil Rick to tell him that "laugh" is just a noise it makes every 10 seconds.
86	** "Rickmancing the Stone": Gives a friendly wink to a Deathstalker who credits him for his burn.
87	** "Vindicators 3: The Return of World Ender": His actions were all because Noob-Noob credits him for his jokes. Of course, when Rick became sober, he forgot who Noob-Noob was.
88	* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Lisa discovers a pheromone she dubs "poindextrose" which is given off by nerds, triggering bullies to bully them. Lisa uses a spray of salad dressing to block the bully's scent receptors, rendering the bully unbullying. (The latter would be this trope.)
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Context Main / KindnessButton