History Main / HappinessIsMandatory

* In FairlyOddParents, Timmy's time traveling caused his father to turn into a power hungry dictator who's main rule is 'Be Happy Or Else'.

Why does the regime do this? Well, maybe it is simply insane or enjoys toying with its underlings ForTheEvulz. Either way, the demands for happiness tend to underscore the regime's ZeroPercentApprovalRating.

->{{The Computer is your friend}}. The Computer wants you to be happy. [[TropeNamer Happiness is mandatory]]. Failure to be happy is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution.

* In ''[[NineteenEightyFour 1984]]'', people are required to "love" [[EvilOverlord Big Brother]] and pretend to be happy about it. A good example is when they're forced to enjoy their morning fitness exercises, with poor old Winston in pain but forcing a smile to make the annoying woman (who I imagined to be in lycra) to shut up and leave him alone.

->The Computer is your friend. The Computer wants you to be happy. Happiness is mandatory. Failure to be happy is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution.

A oppressive regime [[DystopianEdict requires]] its citizens to [[StepfordSmiler "be happy"]]. Of course, this doesn't ''actually'' make them happy; it only gives them one more thing to fear. Contrast GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul, where people actually ''do'' become happy whether they like it or not, such as by GovernmentDrugEnforcement.

* In FairyOddParents, Timmy's time traveling caused his father to turn into a power hungry dictator who's main rule is 'Be Happy Or Else'.

* In a ''Simpsons'' "Treehouse of Horror" story, Homer's time travelling creates a dystopian present in which Ned Flanders rules the world and requires everyone to be happy all the time. Those who don't comply are given a "re-Neducation" culminating in a lobotomy.

* One of Stanislaw Lem's stories from ''TheCyberiad'' has a society that turns out just like this, as a result of the protagonist's failed attempt to create a perfectly happy being.

* In 1984, people are required to "love" BigBrother and pretend to be happy about it. A good example is when they're forced to enjoy their morning fitness exercises, with poor old Winston in pain but forcing a smile to make the annoying woman (who I imagined to be in lycra) to shut up and leave him alone.

* Inverted in Mr. Men/Little Miss story Little Miss Sunshine (not the movie about the infant beauty contest), the titular character visits Miseryland, where the inhabitants are kept miserable simply because of a sign stating the laws: "No smiling, no laughing, no chuckling. Giggling forbidden by order of the king." Naturally, Miss Sunshine is able to turn the kingdom around by simply changing the wording of the sign.

** "You can't not have fun at Disney World. It's not ''Allowed''."

* ''{{Paranoia}}'' has this as a major part of its base premise. See page quote. This game is also the TropeNamer.

* In the video game ''Floyd'' (also known as ''The Feeble Files''), the Omnibrain demands happiness. Solving one of the early puzzles in the game gets an innocent civillian executed on the spot for being unhappy.

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[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

* In the video game ''Floyd'', the Omnibrain demands happiness. Solving one of the early puzzles in the game gets an innocent civillian executed on the spot for being unhappy.

A oppressive regime requires its citizens to [[StepfordSmiler "be happy"]]. Of course, this doesn't ''actually'' make them happy; it only gives them one more thing to fear. Contrast GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul, where people actually ''do'' become happy whether they like it or not, such as by GovernmentDrugEnforcement.

The regime may be small scale. For example, it might be a parent or boss. When the regime actually controls the world, it's a CrapsackWorld. Often without added [[CrapsaccharineWorld saccharine]], since the "be happy, or else" doesn't actually make the world look like a happy place.

A oppressive regime requires its citizens to [[StepfordSmiler "be happy"]]. Of course, this doesn't ''actually'' make them happy; it only gives them one more thing to fear. Contrast GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul, where people actually ''do'' become happy whether they like it or not.

* One of Stanislaw Lem's stories from ''TheCyberiad'' has a siciety that turns out just like this, as a result of the protagonist's failed attempt to create a perfectly happy being.

-->''The Computer is your friend. The Computer wants you to be happy. Happiness is mandatory. Failure to be happy is treason. Treason is punishable by summary execution.''
--> - '''Paranoia'''

* in ''DoctorWho'', this is the the entire point of the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol Happiness Patrol]]

* Another example from ''TheSimpsons'' is the episode where they all have nightmares. Bart's dream is all about having psychic powers and everybody in Springfield walks around thinking "happy thoughts" so as not to displease him and be turned into something weird.

A oppressive regime requires it's citizens to [[StepfordSmiler "be happy"]]. Of course, this doesn't ''actually'' make them happy, it only gives them one more thing to be scared of. Contrast GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul, where people actually DO become happy whether they like it or not.

Why does the regime do this? Well, maybe it is simply insane or enjoys toying with it's underlings ForTheEvulz. Either way, the demand for happiness tend to underscore the regime's ZeroPercentApprovalRating.
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* BraveNewWorld
* ItsAGoodLife

* In SlaveWorld, this is used as an addition to GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: The slaves are biochemically altered for certain kinds of happiness, and they get punished if they try to resist the effect.

* in DoctorWho, this is the the entire point of the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/DoctorWhoS25E2TheHappinessPatrol Happiness Patrol]]
* The fairy-tale kingdom of Happy Valley from ''[[MontyPython Monty Python's Flying Circus.]]'' The subjects were always happy all the time because, by royal decree, anyone who wasn't happy would be put to death. One subject whose wife had just died is seen being arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to hang by the neck until he cheers up.

* ''TheTwilightZone'' TOS episode "It's A Good Life", based on the Jerome Bixby short story. A mutant six year old child with incredible powers requires that everyone be happy around him. Anyone who isn't gets "sent to the cornfield".

* A common saying among the lower ranks of enlisted men in the U.S. Military is, "The beatings will continue until morale improves!"
* DaveBarry has a column about Disney world with a similar description:
** "You can't not have fun at Disney World. It's not ''Allowed'' "

* {{Paranoia}} has this as a major part of it's base premise. See page quote. This game is also the TropeNamer.

* In the video game Floyd , the Omnibrain demands happiness. Solving one of the early puzzles in the game gets an innocent civillian executed on the spot for being unhappy.

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* In the Sluggy Freelance arc "758449," Riff finds himself in an alternate dimension city-state which enforces perpetual happiness with knockout drug injections at the slightest hint of discontent.

* In a Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" story, Homer's time travelling creates a dystopian present in which Ned Flanders rules the world and requires everyone to be happy all the time. Those who don't comply are given a "re-Neducation" culminating in a lobotomy.
* Another TheSimpsons example would be the episode where they all have nightmares. Bart's dream is all about having physic powers and everybody in Springfield walk around thinking "happy thoughts" so not to displease him and be turned into something weird.

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* One of Stanislaw Lem's stories from The Cyberiad has a siciety that turns out just like this, as a result of the protagonist's failed attempt to create a perfectly happy being.

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