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Kytseo Since: Jul, 2010
Mar 4th 2016 at 6:11:26 PM •••

One of the rules of the logic portion of Discrete Math states that a single false result makes the entire truth table invalid. Since this is under the "no real life examples" category, what would be a good name for this example's folder? (assuming it qualifies as an example).

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Vi0 Since: Nov, 2010
Jun 22nd 2016 at 6:48:23 AM •••

Similar for computer security. Attacker has to win only once, sysadm needs to win every time.

Prfnoff Since: Jan, 2001
Mar 10th 2012 at 8:53:22 AM •••

Deleted this example for talking too much Fridge Logic and not providing specific examples. Also, Alternate Reality (as we have it) is a video game, not a trope.

  • Most superhero universe stories featuring an Alternate Reality or a dark future are like this: one villain defeats his personal nemesis and the world goes to crap. Which brings the Fridge Logic of "what about the rest of the heroes?" (Most egregious in X-Men comics).
    • One would assume that this just means that the DC and Marvel multiverses are forever on the brink of annihilation and the presence of superheroes just barely keeps the villains at bay, so that if any hero is killed by their Arch-Enemy and don't come back, the balance of power is fatally shifted from good to evil and everything working for the side of good falls over like a row of dominoes.

Darekun Since: May, 2009
Nov 17th 2010 at 4:38:34 AM •••

The primary explanation I thought of upon reading the name was that the good guys are supporting the status quo; possibly including the idea that if the villain wins, he'll change the rules into a Kangaroo Court sort of thing. I find it not mentioned in the explanations at all. Am I seeing it wrong?

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OllyOllyOxenFrei Since: Oct, 2010
Nov 17th 2010 at 4:44:23 AM •••

The primary explanation, as I understand it, is just as the IRA bombers said in 1984. Evil only has to win once in order to cause a catastrophe. Good has to win every day in order to prevent one. It's not about evil taking over, just achieving thier ends of death and general misery. Kind of an extension of the idea that it's easier to destroy than to create.

Don’t be special be one of us. Newsflash: I am special, and I will never be one of you!
Peteman Since: Jan, 2001
Sep 23rd 2010 at 1:53:27 AM •••

Does Evil Only Has to Win Once also cover when the series is set to the perspective of The Hero? Evil only has to win once because if it does, The Hero dies, and therefore the effective narrator dies and cannot continue the story?

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Earnest Since: Jan, 2001
Sep 23rd 2010 at 7:02:11 AM •••

It's more of a "high stakes conflict" rather than a POV trope, if the protagonist is a detective and the villain is an assassin out to get him, then it's not really this. After all, a new protagonist could pick up the job of tracking down the assassin (it's rare, but series with a Decoy Protagonist love to do this).

Peteman Since: Jan, 2001
Sep 23rd 2010 at 11:35:06 PM •••

Then we should remove Vimes, because his beef with the assassins applies only to him.

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