Line #181 TruthInTelevision/MToO


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5	[[folder:M]]
6	* MaamShock: Was more pronounced when "ma'am" meant an older woman. Now not as big of an issue--except for [[DudeLooksLikeALady men mistaken for women]] on some occasions.
7	* MacGuffin: The BraggingRightsReward in its physical permutations (e.g. trophies and objets d'art) and anything useless that only has value in being collectible and/or desired by more than one person.
8	* MacGyvering: VERY common in RealLife, especially among people who are cash-poor. Everything from furniture creation to computer repair to fashion to [[TheAllegedCar automobile repair to]] animal and human health care may well be subject to it depending on the setting.
9	* MachiavelliWasWrong: Once a certain level of strict, iron-fisted rule is passed, said authoritarian rule is often (though not always) more likely to result in widespread ''dis''obedience of the rule at least in secret, than to open, violent rebellion against it. The most successful way to maintain a complicit populace seems to be offering a mixture of reward and punishment, with just enough reward to keep people seeking more and just enough punishment to make rebellion or schism unappealing. UsefulNotes/NorthKorea seems to be the only exception to this rule.
10	* MachineEmpathy: People get used to the noises and rhythms of things they use often. Whether it's a vehicle or a computer or a musical instrument or whatever, the first sign something is wrong with it is often something noticed only by the primary user.
11	* MadeASlave: [[SickAndWrong Human trafficking, chattel slavery]], some of the shadier unpaid internships, ultra-low-wage work, prison labor...
12	* MadeOfExplodium: Hydrogen dirigibles, nuclear fission or anything capable of it, a lot of fertilizers including the infamous ammonium nitrate, rocket fuels and other high-energy fuels, boilers and steam equipment that isn't properly managed... and many, many more things that can create a huge blast without much trying.
13	* MadeOfIron: Some human beings, either through intense training and physical strength/skill, tolerances, or just plain dumb luck or some combination thereof, survive things that [[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow should kill them]]. Drunk people sometimes tend to survive situations sober people don't, especially in regard to accidents and falls. Babies are another example--while ImprobableInfantSurvival is sadly closer to untrue in real life, babies ''are'' fairly tough and can survive situations adults generally can't.
14	* MadeOfPlasticine: Human beings can be especially vulnerable at times and die from some of the most unlikely to ordinarily cause death things, but not always--see MadeOfIron above and NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow below.
15	* MadeOutToBeAJerkass: This can unfortunately be the reaction against those who stand up and fight back against bullies and/or abusers.
16	* MadonnaWhoreComplex: Unfortunately, and it feeds into much of the discrimination and violence against women.
17	* TheMafia, TheMafiya, TheTriadsAndTheTongs, {{Yakuza}}, and other organized crime groups: They are tropes because they exist.
18	* MagneticGirlfriend: Because some women really are competitive and jealous, and see a partnered man as a challenge.
19	* MagnificentBastard: A few people have committed crimes so brilliant that [[https://didyouknowfacts.com/14-criminals-ingenious-even-police-impressed/ they've impressed even the Law]]. While not a bad guy, Harry Houdini had entertained his audience by escaping any imprisonment he'd been in.
20	* MailOrderBride: This really happened in the Wild West, and comparisons with that era have been consistently invoked with the rise of online international marriage brokers. That said, it's quite a far cry from simply writing a few letters and then sending the woman away on a train to marry a man she hadn't even met yet.
21	* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Shock can cause this as well as intense anger or fear, and/or being drunk or high. Not understanding the severity of an injury is another reason. Injuries involving the brain are VERY bad for this since stroke or traumatic brain injury sufferers are often oblivious to the extent of their injuries. Some internal injuries such as abdominal trauma or a collapsing lung aren't spotted until hours after they were sustained. Finally, people who are used to a common level of pain from existing injuries might not get the severity of a new injury - for example, someone with neck injuries that cause intense pain might not, especially in combination with other causes, even notice a ''broken neck'' as anything but an especially bad pain flare and sudden inability to keep pushing through the pain.
22	* MakeTheDogTestify: Lawyers actually ''can'' and ''do'' file motions to declare animals, plants, or even objects witnesses or demand they be brought before the court - it isn't usually intended to put the dog (or the plants, or the object) on the stand - the intent is usually to acquire evidence with the permission of the court (e.g. to DNA test the dog when the owner in a civil suit insists it wasn't his dog that got the neighbor's dog pregnant, or to sneakily read communications stored on the object, or to see if the person's alibi that they were watering the plants when the crime happened was likely true or likely false)
23	** There's also the very controversial practice of civil forfeiture, where a ''suspected'' (read: not even convicted) offender's property is itself listed as the defendant and taken. If you've ever seen a case like ''The People Of The State Of Florida Vs. Ten Gold Chains, One Lamborghini Aventador, and Five Bottles of Belvedere Vodka,'' this is likely such a case.
24	* MakingLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: Public sex happens. Let's just leave it at that.
25	* MaliciousSlander: Spreading rumors to damage someone's reputation or standing or to cause problems is OlderThanDirt.
26	* MalignedMixedMarriage: There are hundreds, if not thousands, of examples throughout history of people hating those who marry outside of their ethnicity. In fact, until struck down by the Supreme Court in 1967, miscegenation [[note]]interracial marriage[[/note]] was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-miscegenation_laws_in_the_United_States forbidden by law in many US states]]. Even today, in some parts of the country, it's still frowned upon.
27	* MamaBear: Both the animal and human kind. There are documented cases of mothers rescuing their children from mountain lions and actual bears.
28	* MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal: The families of real life criminals do indeed live in this sort of denial sometimes, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence of criminal behavior.
29	* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: Men do wonder. DNA testing has shown that sometimes, they have reason.
30	* {{Manchild}}: They exist, sometimes out of poor parenting or mental illness, other times because they just have childish and lazy interests and personalities. Because of cultural perceptions of women as "naturally" more childlike, people might not notice if a woman acts like this or think it's "cute" or just female nature. This phenomenon is linked to Peter Pan Syndrome, a mental disorder characterized by one's inability to believe that they are of an older age and engage in behaviors and responsibilities expected of their age.
31	* MandatoryMotherhood: Many historical societies, until the advent of reliable birth control and its widespread use, and opportunities for women other than marriage and family existing in the society.
32	* ManiacMonkeys: Primates are equipped with teeth, nails, and aggression so they can hurt people at various levels, sometimes quite badly.
33	* ManInABikini: How often have you seen one, and the reaction it gets?
34	* ManInTheIronMask: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_in_the_Iron_Mask He was real]], although probably merely a failed spy in reality.
35	* ManipulativeBastard: Sociopaths and malignant narcissists are experts at being this, and some people with borderline personality disorder accidentally become it or become it to protect themselves from suffering. And then there's people who may not have any specific mental disorder but just like to control other human beings. (or people who cultivate manipulation skills out of mere fascination with the art of manipulation, more specifically, the psychological science behind it.)
36	* ManipulativeEditing: A staple of RealityTV, and also a very crude and deceptive way to put words in someone's mouth or make them support or not support something against their wishes.
37	* ManlyTears: There is ''nothing'' weak or un-masculine about having emotions other than anger/hatred/rage and lust. Different world cultures understand this well, as did societies through much of human history. For example, in ancient Rome, a commander who cried over his vanquished enemies was viewed as showing ''strength'' of character.
38	* MarijuanaIsLSD: Generally NOT TruthInTelevision, but sometimes dealers will "wet" cannabis with PCP or another smokable hallucinogen, and/or pass off "fake pot" such as K2 or the JWH compounds as real cannabis. Also, eating sufficiently large amounts of cannabis can have a far different effect than smoking - the "body high" effect of eating large doses can sometimes be experienced similar to MDMA or LSD.
39	* MaritalRapeLicense: Unfortunately in many parts of the world for a very long time. Thankfully, in much of the world after the late 20th century, revoked--and in more places by the day.
40	* MarriageToAGod: Nuns and priests and various celibates within Christianity, though they would say to ''the'' God. Other religions provide many more examples.
41	* MarryForLove: In most Western countries after the mid to late 20th century, the reason for many marriages--as in, the ArrangedMarriage and the marriage for financial reasons only began to recede in popularity. This may change with the economic crash of TurnOfTheMillennium and TheNewTens, where people are expressing more willingness to marry (or to get into relationships that aren't marriage) for places to live or for money.
42	* MarsAndVenusGenderContrast: Will almost inevitably be claimed as this by anyone invoking it.
43	* MarshmallowHell: From time to time, a woman or younger girl will tightly hug a comparatively younger and shorter person in such a way that it sandwiches their head in between her boobs in an attempt to either calm them down from a recent negative personal experience of their or show them that she's not a threat to them in any conceivable way whatsoever.
44	* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Such life choices, personality traits, expressions, qualities, interests, hobbies, and relationships have existed and do exist, because not everyone, even in the most highly gendered societies, likes to stick to the rules and what everyone expects them to become.
45	* MasculineLinesFeminineCurves: Differences between males and females in human physiology that the woman has more body fat than the man due to the demands of childbearing and functions as fuel for the developing fetus during pregnancy.
46	* MassiveNumberedSiblings: There are people that have a large number of relatives be it celebrities, aristocrats or certain religious groups.
47	* MaskOfSanity: Many mentally disturbed people are able to hide well and blend in on a regular downplayed note people who suffer from mental illnesses may hide them pretty well.
48	* MaternallyChallenged: Because being physically capable of conceiving and giving birth to a child does ''not'' mean one can be or will be a good parent. The saddest examples will end up on the news every so often.
49	* MaternityCrisis: Occasionally, but fright/terror doesn't induce labor as often as it does in fiction.
50	* MatryoshkaObject: Became a trope ''because'' it is TruthInTelevision: the Russian nesting doll is the TropeNamer.
51	* MatterOfLifeAndDeath: Quite a few things in real life are exactly this - lives or at the very least lack of severe injury or property damage are at stake. These things are where SeriousBusiness is absolutely, thoroughly justified.
52	* MayDecemberRomance: There have been quite a few. Some are genuine, some aren't.
53	* McNinja: A few instances, usually when an OccidentalOtaku wants to be more badass than nerdy. It rarely ends well.
54	* MeanBoss: Some are very common, unfortunately.
55	* MeaningfulName: There's a few variants.[[/index]]
56	** Parents naming a child for someone or in memory of someone or otherwise a name they've chosen for meaning.
57	** Some UsefulNotes/{{transgender}} people, when selecting their new name, will pick one that is meaningful rather than just a masculine/feminine variant of their current name or a GenderBlenderName.
58	** Changing one's family name/last name to one's partner's family name/last name on getting married.
59	** Some people converting to Judaism, Christianity, or Islam will choose a Jewish, "Christian" or "Islamic" name.
60	** Some witches and other occult practitioners choose a "magickal name" or "secret name."
61	** During the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X chose the "X" in his name to represent the now unknown name stolen from his family by the slave masters who ultimately forced the name "Little" on his ancestors. Renaming for these cultural reasons, e.g. taking on African names, was not uncommon as a result of the same feelings.[[index]]
62	* MeatVersusVeggies: There are many cases where persons debate with one another about the superiority of one kind of diet over another. If you're a vegetarian, you have probably had to contend with all sorts of reactions ranging from concern borne of ignorance to open scorn or derision. Alternately, if you're a meat eater, you've likely been accused of everything from murder to animal cruelty to endangering your health.
63	* MediaScaremongering: News media in many countries have a long history of inciting panic, whether for attention or for political reasons.
64	* MediationBackfire:
65	** In many internet forums, trying to end a FlameWar between two or more users will cause them to take out their frustrations on you with heaping insults, but [[InternetJerk this is the internet we're talking about.]][[/index]]
66	** Witness any police intervention in a domestic argument. (Or anybody else's, of course, but the police are the only ones professionally obliged to stick their heads over the parapet.) What they tend to really hate about such jobs is that even when one partner is clearly being abused, they'll often firmly take their abuser's side.[[index]]
67	* MemoryRestoringMelody: The ability for music to trigger vivid, typically positive memories associated with it is well documented in scientific literature, with this effect being particularly pronounced in people with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other forms of memory impairment. The exact reason for this is not fully understood by scientists, but current theories suggest that it factors into a variation of context-dependent learning, in which information can be more readily recalled when returning to the psychological context of when it was first encoded. In this case, music is a specific aural stimulus with strong emotional reactions tied to it, which contextualizes autobiographical events. When the song is heard again years later, it brings back the stimulus and the emotions, and with them, the memory.
68	* MenAreUncultured: In societies that demand being uncultured as a part of masculinity, many men who care about that social standard. This is one of the annoying ones that [[SelfFulfillingProphecy reinforces itself.]]
69	* MenCantKeepHouse: See MenAreUncultured - the same goes for this. Not true, but its enforcement as a part of gender role makes sure it sticks around.
70	* MenDontCry: While male brains ''do'' seem to have less activity in areas related to emotional understanding and similar, and testosterone does have some antidepressant/emotion regulation effects (specifically toward enabling the "bottling up" of emotion over sudden uncontrollable crying for example), it is still ''not that different,'' especially in the absence of mental illness or in the presence of actual tragedy, and this trope is only true when and where it is ''because'' of gendered societal conditioning of men playing up this "attribute" and demanding it above and beyond all else.
71	* TheMenFirst: Insofar as their instructors can hammer it into their heads.
72	* MentalAffair: The non-ScienceFiction variant is fairly common.
73	* TheMentallyDisturbed: Far more common but also far more mild than TV would make you think.
74	* MetaphoricallyTrue: One of the more common forms of being indirectly true.
75	* MexicanStandoff: Some of them have happened.
76	* MiddleChildSyndrome: Sometimes, especially if the middle child is average/normal enough and/or very easy to raise compared to, say, extremely rebellious or special needs children, or on the other hand, an extremely gifted child that needs constant intellectual stimulation to be provided.
77	* MiddleNameBasis: Many people do go by their middle name. In fact, this is likely more common in real life than it is in fiction.
78	* MiddleSchoolIsMiserable: Ask anyone about their experiences in middle school, and chances are they'll treat it as a bad memory - assuming they haven't blocked it out. Part of the reason why is because middle school years (around the ages of 11-14) are generally the ages in which people begin to undergo puberty, which is frequently considered an awkward/difficult time for many young people.
79	* MightAsWellNotBeInPrisonAtAll: If you're not claustrophobic, house arrest.
80	* MileHighClub: Though trying to join is probably a bad idea if you don't have a private aircraft, and [[TooDumbToLive a very bad idea]] if you're the pilot.
81	* MilesGloriosus: US politicians especially seem to like boasting about their military record, among quite a few others.
82	* MilitaryBrat: There is a whole subculture surrounding the family of military personnel.
83	* MilitaryCoup: They have happened, and quite frequently in some places.
84	* MilitaryMaverick: For every Colonel O'Neill you see on TV, there's far worse in real life.
85	* MilkingTheGiantCow: Putting one's hands up to show emotion is a common part of the drama queen repertoire.
86	* AMillionIsAStatistic:
87	** It's called the Identifiable Victim Bias. Some people in RealLife have believed this - and unfortunately, acted on it. One reason is that when you hear about one person dying, you can put yourself in that situation and imagine how your family would feel. Trying to feel the sadness and empathy for each of those millions of people and their families is just not physically possible, so we repress it.
88	** [[/index]]In some very unfortunate situations (where lots of people are going to die ''anyway''), the Identifiable Victim Bias can actually lead to logical decision-making that leads to the "less people dying in vain" option. A good example of this can be found in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII - in the decision to fight the Nazis or surrender to them. Either way, lots of people died - but those who successfully fought lost far fewer civilians and, combined, prevented a full Nazi takeover of Europe and possibly the rest of the known world.[[index]]
89	* MimicSpecies: Organisms mimic each other all the time in nature.
90	* MindScrew: There are quite a few of them, especially if one believes the paranormal is possible.
91	* MinorFlawMajorBreakup: One of the most common reasons for breakups in real life, often combined with ItsNotYouItsMe.
92	* MinorInjuryOverreaction: Overdramatic people or people looking for a FrivolousLawsuit often do this. It's also a result of injuries that while technically minor, ''look'' or ''feel'' worse than they are with lots of bleeding for a few minutes or by being excruciatingly painful due to oversensitivity to pain, the injury happening in an area with very high pain sensitivity such as [[GroinAttack the genitals]], the hands/wrists, or the face/mouth/nose.
93	* MinorityPoliceOfficer: In any country with a significant racial and/or religious minority population, law enforcement will hire officers from those backgrounds.
94	* MirroringFactions: Some civil wars essentially boil down to who gets to run an authoritarian government.
95	* MisanthropeSupreme: Yes, there are plenty of people like this, if you happen to really dislike people you might even be one.
96	* MischiefMakingMonkey: Yes, they really DO fling poo, and anything else they can get their hands on. Their poo-hurling habit became infamous in the days when zoo animals' exhibits were plain concrete boxes, offering them no alternative ammunition. Most zoos nowadays have enclosures that replicate the animals' natural environment, and are therefore less conducive to poo-throwing behavior. Monkeys have also been known to steal things from people [[ItAmusedMe for their own amusement]].
97	* MiseryBuildsCharacter: Often Truth in Television, due in part that having the willpower to push through something hellish makes you a stronger person for coming out on the other side.
98	* MiseryPoker: See AppealToWorseProblems - this is the unironic use of the fallacy to make someone else feel bad.
99	* MisleadingPackageSize: Overpackaging, fraud, or the desire to present something as more valuable than it is can make this happen.
100	* TheMisophonic: Misophonia is a very real and often very debilitating disorder, especially when combined with other conditions such as autism and hyperacusis.
101	* MisplacedWildlife: A ''serious'' problem in many areas of the world, especially if plant and insect species are counted as well. It's called "invasive species," and if you've ever been stung by a fire ant or Africanized bee or had to clear kudzu, you've seen them.
102	** Another variant is when humanity invades on a former wildlife habitat, either temporarily with camping or hunting for example, or permanently with housing developments and the like. Deer, bears, boars, or whatever else was in the area before humans began to encroach will still be there... and attracted to things like food in garbage and movement of people walking.
103	* MissConception: If sex education doesn't exist. More common in the past, still sometimes happens in restrictive religious communities.
104	* MissedTheBus: Annoying for people who are dependent on public transportation - missing a bus or a train often means waiting anywhere from 30 minutes to two or more hours to get to one's destination.
105	* MissingMom: Either they're dead or abandoned their kid(s).
106	* MissionFromGod: From Joan of Arc to Osama bin Laden, religion has been a powerful motivator.
107	* MistakenAge: Some people are YoungerThanTheyLook or OlderThanTheyLook.
108	* MistakenForCheating: With some of the more jealous and paranoid people one can be in a relationship with. If this happens on a regular basis, it can be a symptom of abuse, distrust that is absolutely irreconcilable, or simply of a relationship you'd be better off without.
109	* MistakenForGay: Many times, a result of the conflation of traits attributed to binary gender and sexuality. Yes, [[CaptainObvious feminine men and masculine women can be straight]].
110	* MistakenForJunkie: Anyone can be and there are quite a few groups who regularly are: diabetics (needles, occasional odd behavior), transgender people (hormones being technically controlled substances, needles, hormones needed to maintain gender), the mentally ill (occasionally odd behavior, dependence on prescribed medication to be normal), people with chronic pain (use of drugs junkies do use, but legally prescribed and medically maintained for a legitimate reason), and nocturnals/persons with sleep issues (often mistaken for users of illegal stimulants).
111	* MistakenForPedophile: It happens, and is a common reason why people ([[DoubleStandard mostly men]]) avoid helping lost children or taking jobs working with kids.
112	* MistakenForSpecialGuest: See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Goma Guy Goma]] for an example.
113	* MistakenForTerrorist: Unfortunately happens, and not ''only'' to Middle Easterners, but to photographers, hobby chemists, people who as much as say the wrong words in the wrong sequence or the wrong place, and to many others in the US.
114	* MistakenNationality: Far too common simply because many people don't care to learn geography or about nations.
115	* MisterMuffykins: Most breeders call the little yappy dogs victims of "small breed syndrome." A lot of it is just plain stupidity on the owner's part.
116	* TheMistress: Divorce lawyers and journalists alike make a huge part of their living because this is TruthInTelevision.
117	* MixAndMatchCritters: Ligers (lion/tiger), mules (horse/donkey), goat/sheep, cattle/bison, zebra/horse, and pretty much any match within feline or canine species (e.g. mountain lion or panther/domestic cat, coyote or wolf or dingo/domesticated dog) are a few of the hybrid animals possible in real life. Many are considered undesirable by humans, but mules are valued for strength and docility and sterility - making them perfect pack animals - and wolf hybrids for intelligence and endurance and size - which with the right owner makes them perfect working dogs or guard dogs.
118	* MockMillionaire: Quite a few fraud artists have done this. Also advice from the "fake it until you make it" school of celebrity or financial success, which preaches this as a lifestyle - to consume intensely, to "live what you want to be."
119	* ModestyBedsheet: You've probably used this if you sleep nude and someone unexpected enters the room.
120	* ModestyTowel: Force of habit and shyness will often lead to this being used even when there is no reason for it. Paranoia can also be a factor, if your room has a window.
121	* MoneyDumb: Needless to say that this is extremely common. Especially among teenagers and young adults who are in control of their finances for the first time.
122	* MonsterClown: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulrophobia Coulrophobia]]. Also applies to mimes.
123	* MonsterDelay: Just about every single ambush predator that has ever lived ''anywhere'' on earth has been known to deliberately [[InvokedTrope invoke]] real-life examples of this trope for a whole plethora of obvious reasons, and also, lots of different species can also invoke this trope upon oblivious humans by remaining within the dark shadows of the night at first and then suddenly jumping out and attacking them, finally revealing their true identities, but it's usually too late to actually do anything about them once that part happens of course.
124	* MonsterFangirl: SerialKiller groupies.
125	* MonsterMash: ''If'' UsefulNotes/{{Otherkin}} and/or some who believe in the paranormal actually are on to something. In a more concrete, realistic example, Halloween parties and cosplay events where there are "monsters" and paranormal creatures of all sorts represented.
126	* MonsterThreatExpiration: Over time, as someone deals with a given predatory species over and over again while living out his life within the untamed wilds of our world, said predatory species will become far less of a threat to him.
127	* MonstrousCannibalism: It is believed that certain species of dinosaurs ate their own kind.
128	* {{Mooning}}: College campuses and anywhere else people are drunk and stupid enough to think showing off their ass is a funny joke. Not a good idea - doing this in real life can get you slapped with a public indecency charge and a spot on the sex offender registry, even if it wasn't intended as sexual harassment.
129	* MoralEventHorizon: Each culture and society has different ones, but some general ones are [[WouldHurtAChild torturing or killing]] [[ChildrenAreInnocent innocent]] children (and some societies expand this to less extreme forms of child abuse), some forms of homicide, internal genocide, incest, [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape]], [[SacredHospitality refusing hospitality in a culture/society that depends on it]], and/or [[TheQuisling betrayal of one's nation or people, ''especially'' for personal gain or for no reason at all but that you could do it]] or [[TheFarmerAndTheViper of someone who did you no harm]]. The common thread in most of these is that they are directly harmful not just to the people involved but to social cohesion of some form or another--as in, if everyone practiced them, there would be a bunch of dead people and/or a fragmented, continually fighting collection of clans looking out for themselves and/or their kids rather than any sort of civil society.
130	* MoralGuardians: ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' and ''Website/TheOnion'' parodied PETA's practice of trying to get "liberated" carnivores to live on a vegetarian diet. Also, the FCC and "concerned mothers" are commonly mocked.
131	* MoralityChain: Spouses, children, relatives in general for some, a job or a place in society for others.
132	* MoralityPet: Even the most evil of people, with rare exceptions, have at least one person they care about and treat nicely, even if only by comparison.
133	* MoralMyopia: Is ''very'' common in real life but real life examples aren't a good idea.
134	* MoreThanMindControl: How {{Brainwashed}} and BrainwashedAndCrazy actually happen in RealLife. The amount of ways that people can be turned against their own interests, their own consciences, and their own bodies and lives, or pressed into HappinessInSlavery or resignation to slavery are enough to induce nightmares and paranoia.
135	* MorningSickness: Happens to some pregnant women though not to all, and some have it far more severely than others.
136	* MosquitoMiscreants: Mosquitos are ''the'' worst spreaders of disease in the animal kingdom. More people die from mosquitoes per year than any other animal (including other humans.)
137	* MotiveDecay: Remember when you wanted to be an astronaut or a firefighter or a star? Look around at what you are now, and if you gave up on that goal for whatever reason (good or bad), this has happened to you.
138	** Also tends to happen to political and social movements - where originally the cause or principles may have been important, but eventually the political or social movement lost sight of its exact mission and ended up with 100 different goals it cannot accomplish at once or worse, ended up committed to maintaining its hold on power at any cost and with no other real goal.[[/index]]
139	** And also common among criminals - which is part of why many become StupidCrooks.[[index]]
140	* MovingAngst: Because new experiences and leaving behind a place you are used to can be quite scary.
141	* MrsDegree: A sexist stereotype that, unfortunately, does have some truth - some women do go to college mostly to seek not their own education, but to land a doctor or lawyer as a husband.
142	* MrsRobinson: "Cougars."
143	* MrViceGuy: A higher percentage of people has some kind(s) of wrong or unhealthy doing, yet still want to do that amounts to the right thing on some level, as there are few people (if any) in the world truly devoid of ''any'' vice.
144	* MuggingTheMonster: If people make a career of robbing people, there's always a chance they'll pick the wrong person to try to victimize and end up getting the shit beat out of them or shot. [[http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=73382 There have been]] quite a few cases of muggers trying to assault karate students.
145	* MultigenerationalHousehold: Either due to certain circumstances or cultural values.
146	* MultipurposeMonoculturedCrop: There are several crops and livestock animals (corn, apples, sheep, cows) that can be and are used for multiple purposes (food, clothing, utensils, etc).
147	* MultiTrackDrifting: Because some vehicles can be pushed beyond their usual limits, with an experienced enough driver and proper conditions.
148	* MundaneLuxury: To someone living in a third-world country, simple things like ''clean'' running water can be considered luxuries.
149	* MurderersAreRapists: Some are, and the inversion of the trope, that all rapists are potential murderers, is definitely true as well.
150	* MurderTheHypotenuse: This has happened in quite a few real-life murder cases.
151	* MuscleAngst: Men who lack muscle mass are often mocked and ridiculed for not being "real men" and upon trying to change it are at risk of developing [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_dysmorphia Muscle Dysmorphia]] aka. "Bigorexia" in which they become obsessed with building more muscle and are never satisfied with their progress. Muscular women, on the other hand, often experience the opposite problem.
152	* MusicIsPolitics: In the 60s and onward, the ProtestSong became a subgenre.
153	* MustHaveCaffeine: Caffeine is an addictive stimulant. Coffee, in particular, has a lot of caffeine.
154	* MutagenicFood: Beta-carotene in large amounts will turn you orange, and colloidal silver or other silver will give you an ashen, bluish, or actually gray appearance.
155	* MutuallyAssuredDestruction: Perhaps the main reason the UsefulNotes/ColdWar never turned red hot, and why nuclear weapons were never used again since World War II.
156	* MyBelovedSmother: Helicopter parents, strict parents, codependency...
157	* MyBiologicalClockIsTicking: More like one's sociocultural clock, but yes, some people feel this.
158	* MyCarHatesMe: Otherwise, we wouldn't have tow trucks.
159	* MyCountryRightOrWrong: The viewpoint of ''many'' military members, especially in the lower ranks and the higher ones.
160	* MyLittlePanzer: Yes, there were and are toys like this.
161	* MyDadCanBeatUpYourDad: A lot of kids argue about how their parents are superior to the other.
162	* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: Mandarin Chinese.
163	** Icelandic (and by extent, Faroese) is considered the hardest language (grammatically) to learn, ''even for native Icelanders''.
164	* MyNaymeIs: Many, many celebrities. Very common among musicians especially.
165	* MyOwnPrivateIDo: Private weddings are actually some of the most common weddings, especially for poorer couples.
166	* MyRuleFuIsStrongerThanYours: This is what lawyers are for.
167	* MysteryMeat: "Pink slime," which is ammonia-soaked beef castoffs. Mechanically separated chicken. Similar and worse examples exist.
168	[[/folder]]
169
170	[[folder:N]]
171	* NakedApron: There's fetish art based on the concept. Involving both men and women. No more needs to be said.
172	* NakedFirstImpression: None of us are born with clothes on.
173	** NakedOnArrival: Again, none of us are born clothed.
174	* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Streakers, {{mooning}}.
175	* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Someone named after someone famous in Main/RealLife.
176	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: If someone has a nickname that indicates violence, it's usually a good idea to watch out around them. Also, many prehistoric animals such as UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex, [[RaptorAttack Velociraptor]], ''Deinonychus'', [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile Deinosuchus]], [[SavageSpinosaurs Spinosaurus]], ''Megalania'', ''Smilodon'', et cetera can be applied to this trope as well.
177	* {{Narcissist}}: Unfortunately, people with a grandiose sense of self-importance and a low opinion of roughly everybody else do exist.
178	* {{Narm}}:
179	** You've probably laughed at someone's {{Wangst}} at some point in your life (or at least been very annoyed by it rather than sympathize with them). Reactions to a child throwing a temper tantrum are a good example. Especially when it's not your child.
180	** Some expressions of hatred can come off as this, such as when overuse of special text, screaming and emphasis makes an angry rant laughable. That's all.
181	* NationalGeographicNudity: Nudists for the most part (most nudists/naturists frown upon the sexualization of nudity and there are explicit "no sexual touching in public/of someone you aren't already in a relationship with" and "no cameras" rules at a lot of retreats and the like because the subculture is about body acceptance, not about hookups or making porn), and some cultures do practice this.
182	* NaughtyByNight: A ''lot'' of professional people and the like, although this is becoming far less common with the advent of ways to capture someone in "inappropriate" behavior and {{blackmail}} or [[SlutShaming shame]] them for it, possibly getting them fired or shunned.
183	* NavalBlockade: A real-life military tactic that has been used in several wars.
184	* NayTheist: There are some people that, while they believe a god or gods exist, also believe him/her/it/they are evil or disinterested in humanity, or have some other reason to feel disgust or distaste toward him/her/it/them. Also common in some people who don't believe a specific god exists, but if that god existed, would hate them for their perceived cruelty or unfairness.
185	* NearRapeExperience: This has happened with some people who sincerely didn't realize that [[PoorCommunicationKills "no" actually meant "no"]] or who were drunk/high, but then realized in time that no DID mean "no" or where being pushed away or screamed at got through the altered state. Why a SafeWord is a good idea, especially if you're doing certain forms of fetish play or if you or your partner or both of you are from a culture where "no" can mean other things than "STOP RIGHT NOW." Also, if someone was going to have sex with a person, but realised in the process that they were too drunk to consent/were passed out.
186	* NeatFreak: The more extreme may have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and most of us have met someone like this.
187	* NecessarilyEvil: There have been a few cases of people controlling organized-crime syndicates and the like and yet being relatively benevolent and relatively harmless to outsiders while being a bit less so on the inside to keep control from those who are more rashly violent/don't see crime as strictly business/etcetera.[[/index]]
188	** Peacekeeping occupations by soldiers as mentioned earlier under DarkShepherd. Obviously it's not an ideal situation, it ''is'' often very restrictive of freedom and can result in a PoliceState or in severe blowback, it can easily become a dictatorship or worse itself, and the best it can do is policing and its only way to truly, decisively intervene is "stop killing each other or we'll kill you both." That said, it is often unfortunately the only way to stop incipient civil war, internal genocides, and similarly extreme problems.
189	** Dictators and tyrants are occasionally this, which has actually caused history to look far more kindly upon UsefulNotes/JosipBrozTito and even UsefulNotes/SaddamHussein - the dictatorial rule and brutality served the same role military peacekeeping would, in uniting very different peoples as one nation, or at least keeping a tight lid on interethnic and intersectarian tensions. The problem is the cruelty and brutality to begin with. Also, once the dictator(s) are gone (they being the real life version of a LoadBearingBoss), the civil "unity" or "peace" they forged [[AllForNothing tends to vanish]].
190	** States (generally Communist or similar, though [[OlderThanTheyThink the oldest was Shinto Japan under the shogun Ieyasu]]) that imposed atheism/agnosticism officially (or at least strict political secularism), while persecuting religious people of varying religions for being religious or converting/being converted on occasion (and this hits Christians and Muslims the hardest, since both are evangelizing religions, where, say, Buddhism or Judaism generally aren't), ''did'' somewhat successfully contain religious extremism and/or prevent sectarian factionalism from intermixing with politics to a major degree, and their actions make more sense when viewed in the context that often, at least with most converting/evangelizing sects, religion and political takeovers/political violence are often intertwined. Whether it was at too high of a cost (the deaths and persecutions that did occur, often just to make a point of "don't do this") is very much something on which your mileage may vary.[[index]]
191	* {{NEET}}: Unfortunately, some people, whether by circumstance or choice, don't have a job or attend school.
192	* {{Nepotism}}: "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is definitely TruthInTelevision: those with relatives in business or government or the arts or whatever tend to get "brought in" by those relatives, and then promoted, often beyond their skill and competence.
193	* NerdHoard: Nerds/Geeks/Otaku love putting together collections dedicated to their hobbies/interests/obsessions and often put them on display.
194	* NervousTics: Almost everyone has a thing (physical or verbal) that comes out naturally when they are in a stressful situation.
195	* NeutralityBacklash: The problem with being neutral in ''many'' conflicts is that both sides will either assume you to be on the other side or will hate you for not believing in/representing/supporting their side completely. Neutrality is also often (sometimes unfairly) seen as waffling or self-interest or seeking to sell out to the highest bidder.
196	* NeverAcceptedInHisHometown: Some people throughout history have never been accepted by their families/places of origin.
197	* NeverARunaway: Missing people are, at times, dismissed as "runaways" when they've actually fallen victim to something else.
198	* NeverBareheaded: Religious or cultural reasons sometimes require the constant covering of the head. Islam is most known for this, but there are some Jews and Christians that adhere to various forms of it too. Many balding men wear hats as often as they can to hide their baldness, and some just wear them as a fashion statement.
199	* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistfight: Dependent on the fight and skill of the fighters, but there ''have'' been instances where unarmed or poorly armed (or unarmed until they grabbed the weapons of their opponents) fighters have overwhelmingly defeated an armed opponent. It's not very common (especially with guns) but especially at close range, once the element of surprise has been lost, it's ''very'' possible for a nervous or unskilled person with a knife or even a gun to get their ass handed to them by someone who is unarmed but is in position to inflict one of the ChokeHolds or a GroinAttack, and/or who can wrestle the weapon away.
200	* NeverFilledOutOfficialPaperwork: There are situations where not filling out proper paperwork can get you disqualified from something before you participate in certain activities or situations.
201	* NeverGetsDrunk: Ironically, some types of TheAlcoholic fall under this - their alcohol tolerance is ''so'' high that what would kill a non-alcoholic barely gets them buzzed. Other people may be, technically, drunk, but they don't tend to show outward, extravagant signs of being drunk: they're not, for example, loud and boisterous or angry or sad or...anything but quiet and calm.
202	* NeverLiveItDown: There are some things that people will not forget OR forgive - and some of them, especially via the internet, can be ''incredibly'' petty.
203	* NeverMyFault: Sociopaths ''love'' this one, as do narcissists, and it's a part of pretty much any abusive interaction or relationship, especially paired with WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou. It's one of the more popular DirtySocialTricks among all of those groups, and one of the DirtySocialTricks that if you notice is in play, the only way to get around it is to document the situation objectively (via recording devices) until you can leave, preferably as soon as possible. If it's paired with WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou, ''just leave now,'' no matter how difficult doing so is - your own mental and physical health are at stake.
204	* NeverRecycleABuilding: Sometimes for historic value, sometimes because builders are lazy and architects want ''their'' plan used. There's also the unfortunate case of, say, a building that was clearly home to a Jack-in-the-Box now saying "Wendy's" on the front, which just looks plain silly.
205	* NeverSleepAgain: Traumatic experiences can cause insomnia.
206	** In a more literal sense, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_familial_insomnia fatal familial insomnia]] can render a person physically incapable of ever sleeping again.
207	* NiceCharacterMeanActor: Very, very common, especially with people who have to maintain a ContractualPurity image or stage image. Celebrities in general are held to a higher standard of "nice" than the average person, so there are certain misdeeds that would be considered minor offenses if committed by the average Joe, but would be considered atrocities if committed by a celebrity (such as yelling at someone on an off day).
208	* [[NiceGuy Nice Guy/Gal]]: Lots of them, and far more than a pessimist can ever think.
209	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: There is a reason for the saying "the road to hell is paved with good intentions."
210	* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Sometimes ''bad'' intentions or things can lead to relatively "good" results.
211	* NiceToTheWaiter: Be nice to service economy employees. They have tough (and often low-paying) jobs.
212	* NightmareFetishist: They exist.
213	* NightmareFuel: It exists.
214	* {{Ninja}}: They are very ubiquitous in both Japanese and Western culture (especially fiction).
215	* NoBisexuals: Not literally, obviously, but the attitudes definitely are. Plenty of people, from bigots to the InnocentlyInsensitive, may claim this (as well as the age-old ideas that it's code for "ExtremeOmnisexual", "drunk", or "undeclared") when discussing bisexuality.
216	* NobleTongue: Throughout history, the ruling class often spoke a different language from the one used by the common folk.
217	* NobleWolf: Real life wolves are not as vicious as they are sometimes portrayed in fiction.
218	* NobodyCallsMeChicken: Peer pressure in children or teenagers often works like this. Insulting someone's courage is enough to goad people into doing something dangerous.
219	* NobodyThinksItWillWork: Yes, there are relationships like this. And they do, sometimes, work.
220	* NoBrows: Some people can in fact lose their eyebrows, as well as their eyelashes.
221	* NoCanOpener: Can openers weren't even ''invented'' until several decades after tin cans. Before then, consumers were instructed (according to Website/TheOtherWiki) to use a hammer and chisel.
222	* NocturnalEmission: Happens mainly between 13 and 25, but for both sexes, it's a mere two percent. Nocturnal ''erections,'' on the other hand, are normal for all men well into their 40s or 50s, ''not'' necessarily a result of what is going on in the dream, and their absence generally means that something is wrong with blood flow to the genital region and possibly elsewhere.
223	* NoFairCheating: Getting ''caught'' cheating anywhere from elementary school to postgraduate education, on taxes as an individual (corporations can get away with it, generally), in professional athletics, and especially in a relationship that wasn't established as open or polyamorous can have ''extremely'' negative consequences.
224	* NoFameNoWealthNoService: Members-only or restricted entry clubs, restaurants, and other venues. Anything that will only provide service to celebrities.
225	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Be careful when reporting crimes, lest you be accused of committing them, or being a whistleblower on bad conduct because you could get punished for the leak rather than anyone even caring about the misconduct. People can also get punished (e.g. fired from a job or given a detention/suspension from school) if they attempt to do something like intervene in a fight or stand up to someone who's mistreating someone else, like a bully. [[JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs Unfortunately, punishing someone just for doing the right thing can turn people into]] ApatheticCitizens, causing them to fear that the person in need (or someone else with a vested interest, like a property owner) might sue them if any damage is caused in the act of helping.
226	* NoIndoorVoice: Sometimes it's a result of physical or mental disabilities, but one non-disability variant is that ''many'' singers or public speakers, especially those who have had to work without audio enhancing equipment so they can have a quiet voice, develop a distinct loudness to their voice in a combination of thickened/stronger vocal cords and habit. People in these professions are also often occasionally advised if their voice is naturally loud to ''not'' take effort to speak more quietly - maintaining a soft, whispery, airy voice actually damages the vocal cords almost as much as screaming does, so a slightly louder than "normal" speaking voice (if it is usual for that person without effort) rather than a "pleasing" one is healthier for someone who ''does'' have to scream or shout on a regular basis.
227	* NoisyDuck: Ducks are aggresive like geese and swans. Though not as physical, they definitely make up for it in volume.
228	* NominalHero: Quite a few people who do heroic things in real life only do them because it is all in a day's work or because they wanted attention or money or fame.
229	* NonFatalExplosions: Sufficiently small explosives in general can be survivable. Soldiers have been known to survive thrown grenades exploding in what should have been the lethal radius. Grenade launchers and mortars have also been known to potentially allow survivors. Explosions have many properties and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosive_material sources]]. They are [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} defined]] as "a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner". Depending on the speed of the shockwave, something can qualify as an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deflagration explosion]] yet remain within the body's [[MadeOfIron/RealLife surprisingly-high tolerance to impact]]; the problem being that many of those are accompanied by heat and shrapnel. Someone may very well survive the actual explosion of a gas tank -- provided none of the tank's pieces hit something vital -- but it is likely that the fire that follows will cause [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn far more damage]]. Thankfully still survivable with any luck.
230	* NonIronicClown: Professional clowns. There's even a set of "Clown Commandments" passed down by the international clowning associations, and they demand strict adherence from all clowns to the ideals of being polite, courteous, professional and inclusive of others at all times.
231	* NonSequitur: "No, I don't think the mailbox needs painting."
232	* NoodleImplements: Can be seen in a lot of places and heard of in a lot of stories, usually those involving TooMuchInformation.
233	* NoodleIncident: Most of us have had at least one... or will have at least one...
234	* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Occasionally said verbatim in the aftermath of disasters. And occasionally people somehow ''do'' survive it.
235	* NoOSHACompliance: There are many places in the world with few to no workplace safety regulations, and even in the countries that ''do'' have workplace safety rules and means to enforce them, sometimes enforcement is lax or no one really cares.
236	* NoPartyLikeADonnerParty: The TropeNamer, and a few other incidents where human beings have been reduced to cannibalism. Also common in the British Royal Navy, where it was euphemistically called "the custom of the sea".
237	* NoPeriodsPeriod: People on some forms of birth control, who are UsefulNotes/{{transgender}} ([=MTFs=] who didn't have the required organs to menstruate in the first place, or [=FTMs=] who are on birth control or have achieved satisfactory testosterone levels and/or had the female reproductive system surgically removed), who have had hysterectomies, or who suffer from illnesses of the female reproductive system.
238	* NoPunctuationPeriod: Badly written FanFiction is often this With no paragraphs as well
239	* NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow: Human beings can survive quite a lot, but see CherryTapping and MadeOfPlasticine above too...
240	* NoseShove: Small children will indeed put anything small enough into any accessible opening on themselves or other things if not supervised.
241	* NoSexAllowed: Some religious and philosophical systems impose celibacy or heavily restrict sex. Also applies to minors for obvious reasons.
242	* NoSocialSkills: Asperger's and other autism spectrum conditions. Agoraphobia. Extreme shyness/social anxiety. Bullying and abuse. Isolation from any social contact at all (even the internet) for long periods of time such as hermit living or religious solitary living or solitary confinement in prison.
243	* NostalgiaFilter: Almost omnipresent with people of certain ages believing things were better in the past even when they weren't.
244	* NoSuchAgency: [[ParanoiaFuel It]] [[SelfDemonstratingArticle probably]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial does not have this page under surveillance]].
245	* NoSuchThingAsWizardJesus: Not the trope itself per se, but the idea of a "Wizard Jesus" has existed since the dawn of Christianity itself, with early non-Christians using it to argue that Jesus was a fraud, or at the very least, not anyone that special. For obvious reasons, most Christians (or anyone from a religion that views Jesus in high regard, such as Islam) don't take these accusations too kindly.
246	* NoSwastikas: Carries the force of law in much of Europe where the sale or trade of Nazi memorabilia, the glorification and sometimes display of Nazi symbols, etcetera is against the law. Elsewhere, there is ''no'' way to display a swastika without it being seen as support/sympathy for Naziism.
247	* NoSympathy: Unfortunately fairly common in life, especially if the recipient of this treatment is undergoing depression.
248	* NoSympathyForGrudgeholders: Because {{forgiveness}} is one of the moral concepts that is greatly valued by a lot of people, those who don't value it are often judged, especially if those who choose to forgive believe that holding a grudge and contemplating (or even successfully exacting) revenge [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim will make them just as bad]] [[HeWhoFightsMonsters or even worse than those who wronged them.]]
249	* NotAfraidToDie: Any practitioner of extreme sports. An "extreme" sport is an activity where there is a non-infinitesimal risk of death or serious injury if something is done wrong, against instructions or sloppily. Extreme sport enthusiasts accept the risk, but don't actively seek death or gamble with the risk by doing it recklessly. Conversely, each performance is pre-planned carefully and all risks evaluated and they are to be avoided, not gambled with.
250	** Whilst skydiving is considered an "extreme" sport, BASE jumping is this trope up to eleven.
251	* NoTellMotel: LoveHotels in Japan, and plenty of other hotels and motels. You may have even stayed in one...
252	* NotGoodWithRejection: Some people take being rejected very badly.
253	* NothingIsScarier: Absolute silence is often one of the most frightening experiences, because it can mean a place is absolutely devoid of living human activity. The absolute silence after a power outage is close, as it implies that power and communications have been knocked out by something. And one of the scariest silences is when severe weather suddenly quiets to a perfect stillness, because that is often a sign of an impending [[UsefulNotes/{{Tornadoes}} tornado]].
254	* NothingUpMySleeve: Shoulder and arm holsters for guns allow them to be carried like this.
255	* NotInMyBackYard: And ''another'' one used in RealLife long before it was a trope.
256	* NotMeThisTime: People who have been accused of some crimes or some offenses often are the first blamed when something similar happens. An example of this that doesn't involve crime can be seen when drama starts on a community and someone is dogpiled for starting the drama/FlameWar "again" even if they had a legitimate point.
257	* NotMyDriver: How many kidnappings have occurred, and why schools/teachers are often instructed not to let anyone pick up a kid if they're claiming to be sent from the parent without some form of verification from the parent.
258	* NotRareOverThere: Globalization has averted this to some extent but at a great cost.
259	* NotSoStoic: It's actually fairly common for people with anxiety or clinical depression to purposely adopt stoic façades as a coping mechanism, since they have to constantly work to keep their emotions in check. When the façade breaks (as façades tend to do), it can be a pretty big shock for others, who only know such people as TheStoic.
260	* NotStayingForBreakfast: The one-night stand.
261	* NotTheFallThatKillsYou: It's not, as said on JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs. It's the sudden stop at the end of the fall.
262	* NotTheFirstVictim: A lot of killers or other predators are either known or suspected to have victims before their first confirmed victims.
263	* NotWantingKidsIsWeird: Some people aren't accepting of those who don't want children.
264	* NouveauRiche: Many people who get rich, at least at the beginning.
265	* NoWomansLand: Unfortunately, there's still places in the world where being female instantly makes someone a second- or third-class citizen if even that. That being said, this trope has also been used in propaganda against real-life societies the work doesn't like, so Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease
266	* NoYouHangUpFirst: A manifestation of the "sunk cost" fallacy in that someone who is speaking in such a conversation will want to stay on as long as they can even if it would be better to stop talking.
267	[[/folder]]
268
269	[[folder:O]]
270	* ObligatorySwearing: Middle and high school. The PunkRock, HeavyMetal, HipHop, and VisualKei music scenes. Sailors and truck drivers. The military.
271	* ObliviousAdoption: Used to be the norm, but has become a lot less common in Western countries as adoption has become less stigmatized.
272	* ObliviousToLove: Yes, some people can't recognize when someone is in love with them, even if the person actively tells them so or practically throws themselves at them. This often happens with very shy people (who may invoke ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe to deny that someone could ever love them) or with people highly distracted by other things.
273	* ObliviouslyEvil: People act in the name of their beliefs, no matter how twisted those beliefs may be to outsiders or how rooted they are in InsaneTrollLogic. Sure, beliefs are malleable and can be subjected to outside influence and even change, but even the most notorious historical figures committed horrific acts because from their perspective, what they were doing was right.
274	* ObnoxiousEntitledHousewife: There's a reason why terms like "karen" and "soccer mom" are used as insults.
275	* ObnoxiousInLaws: Unfortunately, for some, and often as a result of a societal construct of parents hating their children's partners.
276	* ObsessedWithFood: Gourmets, "foodies," and some cooks/chefs on one side, anorexics and bulimics and others with eating disorders on the other.
277	* ObsoleteMentor: Because ScienceMarchesOn and TechnologyMarchesOn, and some people don't bother to catch up with them, even if they're the best of a specific art or the best at a specific time.
278	* ObstructiveBureaucrat: One reason people dislike and distrust government and unfortunately the face of it many people are very likely to meet at one point or another.
279	* ObviouslyEvil: There have been quite a few examples. None of which shall be discussed, but there have been.
280	* ObviousRulePatch:
281	** ''Many'' laws and regulations. Building codes and health codes are a very good example: most of them have been written by shown potential for disastrous failures and the attempts to prevent them from happening or happening again.[[/index]]
282	** Software patches and security updates to stop TheCracker and PlayfulHacker from having lots of fun with your computer.[[index]]
283	* OccupiersOutOfOurCountry: The reason LaResistance tends to exist in RealLife and one reason YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters exists as a trope.
284	* OdeToIntoxication: Many, many songs have been written about the joys of alcohol and various other recreational substances.
285	* OddFriendship: There are many people who have had friendships with people they never knew or even would have thought of. You might have had some yourself.
286	* OfCorpseHesAlive: Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
287	** [[/index]]It was once common practice to photograph someone post-mortem after posing them in a chair as if they were alive. The [[UnintentionalUncannyValley results are somewhat disconcerting]].[[index]]
288	* OffendingAForeignCountry: While no real life examples are permitted on the page, this has happened ''innumerable'' times throughout history.
289	* OfferedTheCrown: Again, by default, any trope concerning royalty is automatically [=TIT=].
290	* OffingTheAnnoyance: Tragic, but some people do respond to a perceived annoyance with murder in RealLife. Such people are usually already in an unhealthy state of mind beforehand.
291	* OffingTheOffspring: Tragically and unfortunately, this happens in RealLife.
292	* OffTheRails: Anyone who has ever been involved in any type of improv or roleplaying situation knows how easily this can happen. For live musicians or theatre performers doing non-improv, one of the most understated and important parts of performing is making sure it ''doesn't'' visibly happen and if it does, it's handled somewhat humorously.
293	* OffTheTable: Some offers are very much one-time offers, especially if one is rude or offensive to the person making them in their rejection.
294	* OffTheWagon: Not quite as often as portrayed in the DrugsAreBad moral stories, but often.
295	* OhCrap: All, or at least nearly so, of us have had such moments to some degree. In a literal sense, if you've ever flushed your toilet and seen the water start rising in the bowl...
296	* OlderThanTheyLook: Celebrites, models, musicians. Anyone who was lucky enough to win the genetic lottery to avoid traits like early hair loss or graying, and anyone who was lucky enough and smart enough to avoid sun exposure and tobacco exposure from an early age.
297	* OldFlameFizzle: Because sometimes whomever people meet first or a long time ago is not someone they will love years later.
298	* OldFriendNewGender: People change over time. That fat nerd you knew? Dropped the weight and became hot. That man you knew? Was actually [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} a woman]], or vice versa. The HollywoodAtheist you remembered from college? Is now a devout churchgoer. Can be very difficult, especially if the changes make your relationship now incompatible.
299	* OldManMarryingAChild: In most modern cultures this is considered pedophilia - but in other cultures and in historical cultures, it was not seen as such and was actually endorsed.
300	* OldMaster: Anyone who is still practising their art or profession in their senior years, not just martial arts, is likely to be one of the best in the world.
301	* OldShame: Roughly everybody's got something they're embarrassed about.
302	* OminousLatinChanting: Often seen as a way to make an atmosphere just a little more creepy.
303	* OmnicidalManiac: There have been a few (mostly {{Apocalypse Cult}}s and religious terrorist organizations), but [[CaptainObvious none of them have succeded.]]
304	* {{Omniglot}}: Some do exist, and Google Translate and other machine translation is slowly improving by the day to help those who don't have natural omniglot abilities to understand in the absence of translators.
305	* OneDrinkWillKillTheBaby: Alcohol is toxic to humans, but for most adult humans, in amounts well below the [=LD50=], the "poisoning" produces enjoyable effects and no lasting damage. Once one gets near the [=LD50=], one can die or be permanently sickened. In pregnant women and in children, the damage can occur much faster - causing fetal alcohol syndrome or death. Same for pets. And chronic overuse even below the [=LD50=] can lead to lasting and permanent illness or even cancer.
306	* OneHitWonder: Quite a few musicians and musical acts. Happens to writers as well, where one of their books or series is a huge success but others, not so much.
307	* OneManArmy: Under the right circumstances, this is completely possible. Sometimes inverted in One Man Armies going down against sufficient numbers or overwhelming volumes of fire, and almost impossible in a situation with air support. An excellent real life example would be MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart at the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Technically a Two Man Army, but still qualify.
308	** Simo Häyhä, a Finnish sniper during Finlands winter war (1939-1940) he scored 505 confirmed kills & 542 unconfirmed. Also 200+ kills with submachine gun. Remarkably, all of Häyhä's kills were accomplished in fewer than 100 days with a very limited amount of daylight per day. Nicknamed "Valkoinen Kuolema" in Finnish, which translates to "White Death".
309	* JustForFun/OneMarioLimit: Some names are so famous or so notorious that naming after them is not a good idea. There is a reason that people with names similar to that of a dictator or a SerialKiller or a terrorist will often change them.
310	* OneOfTheBoys: Quite a few women. And some people who transition gender to male have to do this in situations that require the "real life test" for transition.
311	* OneOfTheKids: Happens to parents sometimes or to others who spend most of their time around children (teachers of young children, daycare workers).
312	* OnePhoneCall: If arrested, you might get OnePhoneCall, none at all, or as many as you want. Unfortunately, your personal phone will be taken away from you (good luck if you relied on it for memory) and the call will be monitored. (This trope is why it is a good idea to, if you're ever in a situation where you fear arrest may be imminent, to write the number of your defense lawyer/of the person you know can and will help you on a place like your foot or the inside of your arm.)
313	* OnlyInFlorida: While weird people and the weird crimes they perpetrate is not a solely Floridian phenomenon, Florida is the one state in the United States that is most open about it, thanks to transparency laws that make all arrests a matter of public record that journalists (especially those for tabloids, all based in Florida as well) can access.
314	* OnlySaneEmployee: Been there, done that, burned the t-shirt.
315	* OnlySaneMan: You feel like this often, admit it. And this trope's cousin SurroundedByIdiots too, most likely.
316	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: While real people aren't written as characters, a person acting drastically different from normal is often a sign something is ''seriously'' wrong, such as a brain tumor, drug abuse, or the person going through something really traumatic or stressful.
317	* OperationBlank: They've had some [[http://www.cracked.com/article_16213_the-25-least-inspiring-military-operation-names.html pretty silly names]].
318	* OperatorFromIndia: Dell is the biggest offender. Most big companies do it nowadays to save money. Outsourcing FTL.
319	* OpinionMyopia: Not a lot of people are respectful of other people's opinions, especially on the internet.
320	* OppositesAttract: Sometimes they do.
321	* OppressiveStatesOfAmerica: Sadly, anyone familiar with American history would know there has been many, MANY times in history where the United States didn't act like a beacon of freedom and liberty. Be it through slavery, racial discrimination, corrupt politics, and so on.
322	* OrderedApology: Parents use this to children as one of their methods of teaching them to accept responsibility and make up for something they've done wrong. Also done with teachers to students. The downside of this, however, is that the person is only apologizing because they have to, not because it's coming from the heart, which explains why some apologies are half-hearted.
323	* OrderedToCheat: Has happened to professional athletes and to students alike, as well as in the accounting departments of certain financial corporations and the like.
324	* OrificeInvasion: There are some animals and insects that do this, both to animals and humans. Parasitic worms are one of them.
325	* OrnamentalWeapon: They exist. Often crosses over with BlingBlingBang for guns, and Japanese swordsmiths in the days of samurai often made swords both this and functional.
326	* OutlawCouple: Because getting involved with a criminal often draws one into crime in one way, and in another, because criminals tend to interact with other criminals.
327	* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Tragically so. Either due to an accident, illness, murder, or suicide.
328	* OutsideContextProblem: Some real life civilizations acted as such to others. One example would be the Spanish. When the Spanish arrived in the New World, many indigenous populations were either at war with one another, or faced a larger threat (such as the Aztecs for many). Then came the Spanish, with both animals, weapons, and ailments they had never encountered before, wiping many civilizations out, or pushing them to the brink.
329	** Invasive species also count as this to many of the native wildlife, particularly the endemic island dwellers where due to living millions of years in isolation, these animals and plants have lived their life with little natural predators or ones that are easily dealt with. As soon as they appear, they have no weapons to defend against them and are quickly outcompeted and predated by them too, many of which do not survive the years of being slaughtered to the point of extinction.
330	* OutOfTheInferno: Firefighters have done this on occasion, sometimes with people they have rescued.
331	* OutWithABang: If your heart is ''not'' healthy enough for sex. Some sexual practices such as EroticAsphyxiation (the solo variant is ''especially'' bad for this - just go ask a [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/INXS few]] [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto dead rockstars]] and [[Creator/DavidCarradine movie stars]]), sex play involving guns, alcohol or drug enemas, and intense bloodplay can also kill. Also true for some animal species.
332	* {{Overheating}}: Why your computer needs fans or some kind of a cooling system, especially the more you push it to do. Why ignoring the "check engine" warning or the temperature gauge on your vehicle is ''never'' a good idea. Can happen to human beings also, usually during heat waves, under the influence of drugs that affect the brain's temperature regulation - from alcohol to MDMA to neuroleptic drugs - or who have some forms of brain damage that do the same.
333	* OverlyLongHug: When [[ThereIsOnlyOneBed sharing a bed with someone]], your partner may hug you ''all through'' the night.
334	* OverlyLongTongue: Chameleons sport tongues that are just as long as their bodies and use them to catch insects.
335	* OwnGoal: Yes, there are rare instances where a player will accidentally score a point in their own team's goal, whether its because of poor judgement from disorientation, unwanted ricochet, or other reasons.
336	[[/folder]]
337	[[/index]]

Context TruthInTelevision / MToO