History Main / IDontPayYouToThink

* Similarly in ''Literature/{{Friday}}'' by Creator/RobertAHeinlein. The Chief of the [[DividedStatesOfAmerica California Confederacy]] tells one of his minions that HE does the thinking, then moments later chews the minion out for not getting Friday a chair, saying: "Do I have to think of everything myself?"

To some degree, TruthInTelevision; many large organizations, such as the military and police depend on everyone sticking to the same plan, adhering to protocol, and and following orders. It isn't rarely feasible to convince or fully explain it to each and every person involved, so acting on individual decision-making instead of instructions can undermine your organization's larger goals. A soldier who questioned procedures and plans too much and doesn't obey orders is considered a liability. It's worth pointing out that despite the listed benefits of groups following the same plan, [[StrawmanHasAPoint a good critique or idea shouldn't just be thrown away carelessly]].[[note]]After all, much like parents and teachers, senior officials are not always right.[[/note]]

* In ''The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance'', a boss tells an employee "I really don't care what you think. I don't pay you to think. I especially don't pay you to think about corporate strategy. I pay you to run the research department and run it well."
* In ''Prison Romance'', this occurs with a ho who is told "I don't pay you to think, I don't pay you to talk..."

* Used in the 1960s children's adventure novel ''Manxmouse'', by Paul Gallico. A group of hounds is hunting for a fox and a young Private states "I think he's in there, under that hedge, sir." A General replies "Quiet! I'm the one here who's paid to think."

* ''WesternAnimation/QuickDrawMcGraw'' would [[CatchPhrase invariably say,]] "Hoold on there, Baba Louie! I'll do all the thin'ing around here, and dooon't you forget it!" to his sidekick Baba Looey whenever the latter offers up a suggestion on how to approach a problem. Just as invariably, Quick Draw ignores Baba's advice to his detriment.

* ''WesternAnimation/QuickDrawMcGraw'': "Hoold on there, Baba Louie! I'll do all the thin'ing around here, and dooon't you forget it!"

* In ''Manga/DrStone'', when [[TheDragon Kirisame]] suggests destroying the ship belonging to the Kingdom of Science under the basis that it contains "[[ClarkesThirdLaw sorcery]]" beyond their understanding and that it could be dangerous, [[EvilChancellor Ibara]] cuts her off, retorts with "are you trying to give me your opinion?" and finally shuts her up by stating that it is the will of their master to keep the ship intact.

--->'''Manager Spongebob:''' C'mon! C'mon! Whaddaya think I'm paying you for?
--->'''Worker Spongebob:''' You don't pay me. [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall We don't even exist.]] [[LampshadeHanging We're just a clever visual metaphor used to personify the abstract concept of thought.]]
--->'''Manager:''' One more crack like that, and [[GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity you're outta here!]]
--->'''Worker:'''' No! Please! [[IHaveAFamily I have three kids!]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': Cheap tightwad boss Mr. Krabs does not pay [=SpongeBob=] to play dress-up or Squidward to breathe.
-->'''Squidward:''' You hardly pay us at all.
** There's also the scene where Spongebob's brain is represented as an office with lots of little Spongebobs running around doing work, and when the boss says "I don't pay you to think" the worker says "You don't pay us at all. [[BreakingTheFourthWall We don't even exist]]. We're just a clever metaphor for the abstract process of thought."

* Referenced by Lightning in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII''. "'These Cocoon people' have spent centuries under fal'Cie rule, in constant fear of a Pulse invasion. If it weren't for Serah, I'd have been out there too. Hunting l'Cie. Would have been nothing but targets to me."
* Played with an odd way in ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars: Days of Ruin]]'' as it's not an authority saying this but a person speaking of themselves. Gage's quote is actually "They don't pay me to think".
* Said word for word by General Randall in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}''. Hilariously, he says it ''to a scientist''.
** Then Alex Mercer says this to himself when a scientists questions how he feels about making a deadly virus 10 times more deadly. Pretty much to show how much of an emotionless jerk he is.

* In the original ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 Ratchet & Clank]]'', [[BigBad Supreme Executive Chairman Drek]] gets the gist of the phrase across when berating [[spoiler: [[TheDragon Captain Qwark]]]] for failing to dispose of the titular duo at the end of the first act.
-->'''Drek''': Back so soon?
-->'''[[spoiler: Qwark]]''': ...Oh! You're talking to me!
-->'''Drek''': I'm not in the habit of talking to ''myself'', you buffoon! Did you get rid of them?!
-->'''[[spoiler: Qwark]]''': [[BlatantLies Yes]]! ...No. Well, I... I had this plan, and I thought-
-->'''Drek''': You 'thought'? You ''[='thought'=]''?! I do the thinking around here, you slug-brained idiot! I simply needed you to eliminate those two nuisances before they can cause any real trouble!
* This happens in the fifth episode of ''VideoGame/StrongBadsCoolGameForAttractivePeople'', known as "8-Bit is Enough". Strong Bad calls Videlectrix to help him fix his Trogdor arcade cabinet, [[ItMakesSenseInContext which has come to life and is rampaging about and attacking people]]. Unfortunately, he is confronted with [[ForInconveniencePressOne an automated voice mail system that asks him to say options "1" through "3"]]. [[TakeAThirdOption He chooses "4"]], which throws the people at Videlectrix for a loop, resulting in this phrase being mentioned, accidentally revealing that the voice mail system was a fake to screw with Strong Bad.

* The first episode of [[Jonathan Creek]] has a variant with a security man at Adam Klaus' magic show deserting his post for a toilet break.
Security man:. I'm sorry Mr Klaus, I had to pass urine.
Adam: I don't pay you to "pass urine", I pay you to stand outside that door!

Contrast ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight, which too much of this trope can ultimately lead to,[[note]]Too much of this trope can also lead to MistreatmentInducedBetrayal.[[/note]]

'''Vizzini:''' Am I going mad, or did the word 'think' escape your lips? You were ''not'' hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass!