History Main / MyWayOrTheHighway

* One of the major points in both the [[FandomRivalry/{{Technology}} Android vs iOS]] and the UsefulNotes/PCVsConsole debates is that Android and PC both run on much more open systems

[[quoteright:350:[[Comicbook/KryptoniteNevermore https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_volume1_issue235_page08.jpg]]]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': Several of Batman's various incarnations have been accused of having this attitude by their sidekicks and allies. The final break between Batman and Dick Grayson in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', for example, is caused by Dick discovering that Batman knew Barbara was ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} and deliberately kept it from him. He ignores Batman's attempts to explain he didn't feel it was his place to say anything, as well as Barbara's protests she was the one who asked Bruce to keep quiet, since by that point he'd become sick of Batman's ControlFreak tendencies. Even worse, in later comics it's revealed that during the time Dick was away reinventing himself as Nightwing, Bruce and Barbara had become intimate with Barb even becoming pregnant with Bruce's child. Barbara asks Bruce to let her handle telling Dick (who'd asked her to marry him), but Bruce ignores her request and calls Dick to Wayne Manor to inform him. Not only did Dick not take this revelation well, he was supposed to meet Barbara but since Bruce summoned him, [[ForWantOfANail he wasn't there]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero when Barbara was injured while trying to prevent a mugging, her injuries causing her to lose her baby.]] This was the explanation as to why by the time of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' neither of them want anything to do with him.

** In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' storyline ''ComicBook/WhoIsSuperwoman'', Alura In-Ze bluntly tells her chief of security Thara Ak-Var she'll do what Alura says or she will not be her chief of security for much longer.

The favored CatchPhrase of the ControlFreak, but may also be used by an older character to teach discipline, such as from a parent to their child (i.e. "My House, My Rules") or from a drill sergeant to a fresh recruit. If a person decides to choose 'the highway', that's ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* Savio Vega's CatchPhrase, especially in IWA Puerto Rico, of which was a part owner and World Wrestling League, where he was director of wrestling operations.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/SuperdimensionNeptuneVsSegaHardGirls'', Segami's motivation begins and ends with stopping the [=CPUs=] and Sega Hard Girls from fighting. However, due to her status as an AmnesiacHero, she usually can't come up with a better explanation than "We have them stop from fighting because I say so", and she completely refuses to accept any other methods.
[[/folder]]

* A ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode uses this as the title ([[TitleOnlyChorus and chorus]]) of a boy band's song.

-->-- '''Joe''', ''Film/ReservoirDogs''

* In ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'', Marilla is very matter-of-fact in laying down the rules on taking Anne into Green Gables. After listening to Anne's explanation of why she is not in the habit of folding her clothes before going to bed, she plainly retorts: "You'll have to remember a little better if you stay here"; then, when Anne tells her she does not say her prayers before going to bed and gives a thorough explanation of why, Marilla tells her "You must say your prayers while you are under my roof, Anne" without further justification.

* A variation is used in ''Series/TheBernieMacShow''; when Vanesa, [[TheDanza Bernie's]] oldest niece, runs away from his home, he catches her in the bus headed from L.A. to Chicago and when he asks her why she's on the bus, she responds: "you're always telling us, 'it's my way or the highway,' so you you know what? I'm choosing the highway."

Unlike TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay, there is no threat of coercion or violence; it may instead carry an implication that the person being offered this choice is expendable.

The favored CatchPhrase of the ControlFreak, but may also be used by an older character to teach discipline, such as from a parent to their child (i.e. "My House, My Rules") or from a drill sergeant to a fresh recruit.

* Creator/JohnKricfalusi once attempted to intimidate a Nickelodeon executive by sending her a memo stating that his cartoons "will cost what they cost and take as much time as necessary". [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome He was promptly fired from the studio.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:And now I'll tell you how high you have to jump]]

* Blossom and Buttercup use this on each other in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Three Girls And A Monster," fighting over using brains or brawn to bring down a giant reptilian monster. Neither is effective...[[TakeAThirdOption Bubbles uses polite asking to bring down her beast. Amazingly, it works.]]

* Several of ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'''s various incarnations have been accused of having this attitude by their sidekicks and allies. The final break between Batman and Dick Grayson in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', for example, is caused by Dick discovering that Batman knew Barbara was ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} and deliberately kept it from him. He ignores Batman's attempts to explain he didn't feel it was his place to say anything, as well as Barbara's protests she was the one who asked Bruce to keep quiet, since by that point he'd become sick of Batman's ControlFreak tendencies.
** Even worse, in later comics it's revealed that during the time Dick was away reinventing himself as Nightwing, Bruce and Barbara had become intimate with Barb even becoming pregnant with Bruce's child. Barbara asks Bruce to let her handle telling Dick (who'd asked her to marry him), but Bruce ignores her request and calls Dick to Wayne Manor to inform him. Not only did Dick not take this revelation well, he was supposed to meet Barbara but since Bruce summoned him, [[ForWantOfANail he wasn't there]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero when Barbara was injured while trying to prevent a mugging, her injuries causing her to lose her baby.]] This was the explanation as to why by the time of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' neither of them want anything to do with him.

** In ''ComicBook/WhoIsSuperwoman'', Alura In-Ze bluntly tells her chief of security Thara Ak-Var she'll do what Alura says or she will not be her chief of security for much longer.
* ''ComicBook/TheTransformers'': This is part of what made Grimlock's leadership of the Autobots such a failure. He successfully got the Ark spaceworthy, but only by ignoring the protests of the other Autobots that they were allowing the Decepticons to run roughshod over Earth by focusing so much on restoring the Ark. Things get so bad that Blaster and Goldbug outright desert, and other Autobots seriously consider doing the same when Grimlock focuses on hunting the two "traitors" down over fighting the Decepticons.

* ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel'': This is part of what made Grimlock's leadership of the Autobots such a failure. He successfully got the Ark spaceworthy, but only by ignoring the protests of the other Autobots that they were allowing the Decepticons to run roughshod over Earth by focusing so much on restoring the Ark. Things get so bad that Blaster and Goldbug outright desert, and other Autobots seriously consider doing the same when Grimlock focuses on hunting the two "traitors" down over fighting the Decepticons.

* In ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', Aurora ''thinks'' Belladonna is giving her this when she decides [[spoiler:to kill Aurora's father Tokiomi for abandoning her]]. Aurora has serious ExtremeDoormat issues and believes that speaking up when she doesn't want to do something is an act of betrayal to her loved ones. To her credit, Belladonna seems to be aware of this and always tries to make sure Aurora knows she ''does'' have a say in the matter, but unfortunately she doesn't pressure enough and Aurora tends to keep quiet out of fear of being left alone.