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Contrived Stupidity Tropes
All too often, a plot thread depends on one or more characters doing something really stupid. They don't have any chance of doing the smart thing, because then the plot-driving conflicts wouldn't happen.

Even if the stupidity is an organic outgrowth of prior characterization, that doesn't necessarily make it contrivance-free. As lampshaded in the "Homer's Enemy" episode of The Simpsons, the continued tolerance of Homer by his friends, his family, and his employer -- indeed, his very survival -- is simply unbelievable at this point.

Contrived stupidity commonly causes things like the collapse of A Simple Plan in a Sit Com or the effectiveness of Schmuck Bait in Slasher Movies. It is often accompanied by the meta-stupidity of the other characters' ignorance of Hanlon's Razor. It is vulnerable to Fridge Logic and may result in a Wall Banger.

Not to be confused with a Ralph Wiggum, who is just plain dumb, no plot-serving contrivance about it.
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