The Tricky [[ActualPacifist Pacifist]] is not a trope, although maybe it should be.

The pacifist's views on human potential fall on the extreme left of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism. By contrast, the Tricky Pacifist's views of the ''present'' state of human society, including the so-called "democratic" nations, is on the far ''right'' of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism scale]].

The troper naturally believes that RousseauWasRight, and can sometimes be an insufferable LoveFreak. The troper is introverted and [[TheStoic nigh unflappable]], but very congenial and affirming, and most acquaintances seem to find them [[NiceGuy a very nice person]]. The troper has been known on occasion to produce a deadpan so appropriate, it provides its own [[DeadpanSnarker snark]]. The pacifist is also good at witty comments though, frequently directed at the [[SelfDeprecation ultimate]] [[AcceptableTargets Acceptable Target]]. When told "You're pretty clever" the pacifist replied "On very rare occasions." And, upon getting the "You won second place in a beauty contest" card in Monopoly: "Must've been the only entrant."

The Tricky Pacifist is a big fan of literature, TV, and movies, especially fantasy/sci-fi. Some favorites include:

''LordOfTheRings'' (books and movies); ''{{Discworld}}'', ''GoodOmens'' and most things written by TerryPratchett; Almost everything written by TimothyZahn; Many things written by DianaWynneJones; Just about anything written by Terrence Real; Several of BrandonSanderson's works; ''Powerful Peacemaking'', by George Lakey; ''Engaging the Powers'', by Walter Wink; ''A People's History of the United States'', by Howard Zinn; ''Debt'', by David Graeber (in fact, most things by David Graeber); ''A Paradise Built in Hell'', by Rebecca Solnit, ''OnTheJellicoeRoad'', by MelinaMarchetta; ''MorganvilleVampires'' series; ''VampireAcademy''; most essays written by [[BadassBookworm Dan Hemmens]] of [[http://www.ferretbrain.com/contributors/6.html ferretbrain]] (heck, most of the essays on that site), ''HitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''; ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl''; ''DoctorWho''; ''HouseMD''; ''TheAvengers''; ''ThorTheDarkWorld''; ''CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', ''StarTrek'' in general; ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''; ''{{Angel}}''; ''[[Series/SleepyHollow Sleepy Hollow]]'', ''DigimonAdventure''; ''FinalFantasyVIII'' and ''FinalFantasyTactics'', despite the ending; ... and ''KingdomHearts''

Has a Love/Hate relationship with ''{{Firefly}}''. Smart, funny, good characterization for the most part, and more original than most. Unfortunately, there's also the disturbing racial subtext, the hamfisted and {{Anvilicious}} approach to feminism, and oh yeah, [[MoralDissonance constantly trying to get me to admire]] a [[HeroicSociopath guy]] who ''[[MoralEventHorizon kicks helpless prisoners into engine intakes]]'' ...

There's also ''{{Dollhouse}}'' which has its own problems with pretentiousness, morality, and pseudo-feminism. And on top of that, it's boring.

The Tricky Pacifist is also a huge fan of almost [[StarWarsExpandedUniverse everything]] ''StarWars'' ... up to ''[[NewJediOrder Star by Star]]''. [[DisContinuity Everything from]] [[JumpingTheShark that]] [[DethroningMomentOfSuck book]] onwards--and especially ''LegacyOfTheForce''--[[{{Nation}} Does. Not. Happen.]] (The pacifist is generally mild spoken, ''LegacyOfTheForce: [[DethroningMomentOfSuck Sacrifice]]'' is one of the few things known to provoke a ClusterFBomb.)

The pacifist generally prefers stories on the idealistic end of the scale (big surprise), but is open to cynical stories if they don't get ''too'' depressing. (The pacifist greatly admires Matthew Stover, but had to give up on ''[[ActsOfCaine Blade of Tyshalle]]'' after he [[StuffedIntoTheFridge stuffed the female lead into the refrigerator]].

Favorite Tropes:

ActualPacifist (when they aren't depicted as losers, idiots, or [[StrawmanPolitical Straw Pacifists]]), AntiVillain (so much more interesting than their [[CardCarryingVillain card-carrying cousins]]), {{Badass}}, BadassBoast, BadassBookworm, BadassCrew, BadassNormal, BadassPacifist (this editor unintentionally badgered them into adding the trope), ChaoticGood, ChaoticNeutral, CharacterDevelopment, CrowningMomentOfAwesome, CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, CrowningMomentOfFunny, DeadpanSnarker, {{Deconstruction}}, {{Determinator}}, EarnYourHappyEnding, EverybodyLives, FutureBadass, GreyAndGrayMorality (often what it comes to in real life); HandicappedBadass, HannibalLecture, HappilyEverAfter, HeroicBastard, HeroicBystander, [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim If You Kill Them You Will Be Just Like Them]] played straight, IndyPloy, IUhYouToo, MagnificentBastard; ManBehindTheMan (love it when plots aren't as straightforward as they first seem), NeutralGood, [[NiceGuy Nice Person]], OneLiner, RousseauWasRight, SaveTheVillain (when it isn't [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], which happens so often it's past the point of cliche); SweetDreamsFuel, TheMessiah, ThisIsGonnaSuck (gotta love that cavalier attitude); ThouShaltNotKill ([[ActualPacifist seriously]]), TookALevelInBadass, {{WAFF}} (I'm a sucker for it), XanatosGambit, XanatosSpeedChess

Some rather Less-Favored Tropes:

RedemptionEqualsDeath (cop-out); HeroicSacrifice (waaay overdone); DisneyVillainDeath (specifically the part about the heroes not killing the villain, but the villain dies anyway, talk about cop-out); SaveTheVillain (DisneyVillainDeath variety); DeusExMachina generally; StalkingIsLove (need I comment?), RapeIsLove (exponentially worse); CharacterDerailment; ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer (bullshit); TrueArtIsAngsty (utter bullshit, and one of the main reasons for the ''[[NewJediOrder Star by Star]]'' and ''LegacyOfTheForce'' debacles); ManlyTears (as if men weren't just as capable and in need of crying as women); WomenInRefrigerators (sexist); {{Chickification}} (ditto); NeutralFemale (''do'' something, dammit!); TokenGirl / TokenMinority and tokenism in general; in fact, pretty much everything in the DoubleStandard section and most RaceTropes, though one or two of the latter may not be so bad. Maybe.

The pacifist pointedly refrains from giving away any information regarding sex, race, age, sexual orientation, class status, nationality, religion, disability status or any other information that has been used and is used to oppress different peoples the world over up to the present day. The pacifist is first and foremost a sentient being, a human being, with all the rights and responsibilities thereof.

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