'''Basic Trope''': An argument [[SeinfeldianConversation about nothing important.]]
* '''Straight''': AliceAndBob quibble over whether a tomato counts as a vegetable or a fruit.
* '''Exaggerated''':
** The argument includes hurling vicious insults...and chairs.
** Or SillyReasonForWar.
* '''Downplayed''': SeinfeldianConversation.
* '''Justified''':
** Sometimes people have disagreements...and too much free time.
** They're practicing for debate club.
** Alice and Bob have made [[TheBet a bet]] and the otherwise inconsequential topic is central to determining who wins.
* '''Inverted''':
** Alice and Bob agree on whether a tomato counts as a vegetable or a fruit.
** Alice and Bob argue over something that really ''is'' SeriousBusiness.
* '''Subverted''': Eventually, Alice and Bob come to the conclusion that a tomato is ''botanically'' a fruit and ''culinarily'' a vegetable.
* '''Double Subverted''': But then Carl interjects with, "But what about rhubarb?"
* '''Parodied''': WorldWarIII begins over the issue of whether a tomato counts as a fruit or a vegetable.
* '''Zig-Zagged''': Sometimes they argue over dumb stuff, sometimes they don't.
* '''Averted''': Alice and Bob have no such arguments.
* '''Enforced''': RuleOfFunny
* '''Lampshaded''':
** "It's a fruit, you idiot!"
** "Wow, you guys have way too much free time..."
* '''Invoked''': A SeinfeldianConversation about food begins.
* '''Exploited''': Charlie asks Alice and Bob "Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?", then waits until they're too busy arguing to notice him swipe Bob's car keys.
* '''Defied''':
** Alice and Bob change the subject.
** [[LogicalLatecomer Jim]]: "I don't care. I'll ''never'' care. And you're going to find more productive items to discuss [[ThreateningMediator if you know what's good for you]]."
* '''Discussed''': "So, where do ''you'' stand on the fruit versus vegetable debate?"
* '''Conversed''': "This is stupid! Why are we even ''talking'' about this?!"
* '''Implied''': [[SingleIssueWonk Bob and Alice]] look askance at each other every time [[BerserkButton tomatoes]] are mentioned.
* '''Deconstructed''': They're arguing about something pointless, and insulting each other!
* '''Reconstructed''': They agree to disagree and discuss something, you know, ''relevant''.
* '''Played for Laughs''': This argument becomes an OverlyLongGag. Cue Flash Forward, showing a very elderly Alice and Bob, still arguing over this.
* '''Played for Drama''': The argument gets personal and ruins their heretofore great relationship.
* '''Played For Horror''':
** The argument reaches a RageBreakingPoint for Alice and [[AccidentalMurder she accidentally kills Bob]] in a way that definitely looks like a premeditated (or least mad-dog) assassination instead of [[IDidntMeanToKillHim manslaughter]].
** The Argument Slayer decides they need to die for polluting the world with their nonsensical prattling.
* '''Plotted a Good Waste''': Alice and Bob stand in for [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything real people or groups of people]] who started a needless argument that went too far; the author is trying to [[AuthorTract make a point]] that such qualms played on a macro-social level tend to be a net harm.
----
Back to CavemenVsAstronautsDebate.

No, go back to [[CavemenVsAstronautsDebate Astronauts vs. Cavemen Debate]]!
----