History Main / PolitenessJudo

* In ''PhoenixWrightAceAttorney: Trials & Tribulations'':

* In the first ''TheDresdenFiles'' book, Susan gets Harry to agree to a date by playing her "reporter for trashy tabloid" role and asking him a series of easy questions, slipping the date one in near the end. Harry doesn't get what hit him, but the barman does (and as usual, wisely says nothing).

** In ''Changes'', Harry and some enemies accidentally fall into the hall of the Erlking who (sarcastically) refers to them as "guests". Harry quickly thanks him for his hospitality, binding them into a [[SacredHospitality contract]] and obliging the Erlking to help him out. Of course, being the Erlking, he is not so much annoyed by this as he is impressed, equating Harry to a wily fox. And of course, being the [[MagnificentBastard ErlKing]], he still almost manages to get Harry killed without raising a finger.

* In ''{{Sherlock}}'' John is denying that he shot a serial killer when Sherlock calls him out on it.

* In the ''Literature/JamesBond'' novel ''You Only Live Twice'', the head of Japan's secret intelligence service, Tiger Tanaka, explains to Bond that Japanese criminals will stop and surrender when ordered to by the authorities, because of the Japanese culture.

* Subverted in one of the stories in SpiderRobinson's ''[[Literature/CallahansCrosstimeSaloon Callahan's Lady]]'' in which a MadScientist creates a device that allows her to fet people to do anything she wants as long as she says "Please".

** This seems to affect many Japanese monsters. Slit Mouthed Woman, for example, can be avoided if when she asks you if she's beautiful you say "I'm sorry, but I have to be somewhere else right now." [[JapanesePoliteness She will bow and apologize for delaying you.]]

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' contains an entire family that uses this trope, being so supernaturally friendly that possessing ill will towards them is fairly impossible, two characters wondering what exactly happened after they ended conversations by being invited to dinner.

* While driving, whom would you rather allow to pass, between the maniac who cuts line and flips off everyone, or the guy who turns on his sidelight, makes respectful hand signs and waits until you signal him back?

'''Canadian 1:''' It's...so nice to be here.\\

* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' as part of an asignment Kat and Antimony discover a labyrinth in the library in which resides a Minotaur. Instead of screaming and running, which most people would do, [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=28 Annie politely greets the creature]]. It works out well for them.

--> -- ''TheSimpsons'', "Lisa the Vegetarian"

* In ''{{Labyrinth}}'', Sarah has to [[TrollBridge cross a bridge]] guarded by Sir Didymus. Sir Didymus adamantly refuses to let her because "Nobody is permitted to cross without my permission!" So Sarah asks for permission. Sir Didymus is surprised at this and stammers, "Ummm... yes?" Evidently nobody had thought to just ask before.

* Sansa Stark lives and breathes this trope in ''ASongOfIceAndFire''... mainly out of necessity and through having no other means of attack or defence left to her in the hostile DeadlyDecadentCourt settings she finds herself. As a result, she's getting better at it and some of the other skills in the PassiveAggressiveKombat set. But, throwing painfully correct manners and polite phrases into the ring remains her number one, go-to skill of choice.

* GilbertAndSullivan's ''ThePiratesOfPenzance'' ends with Politeness Judo. Following a pitched battle between the Policemen and the Pirate Crew, the Policemen are defeated, until they sing: "We charge you yield, we charge you yield, / In Queen Victoria's name!" The Pirates' response? "We yield at once, with humbled mien, / Because, with all our faults, we love our Queen."

* In ''[[Literature/EndersGame Children Of The Mind]]'' Peter Wiggin and Si Wang-Mu travel to a Japanese-culture planet which values politeness and humility. Wang-Mu gets into a contest of trying to be more humble and self-effacing than the old man they're interviewing. He eventually seems to relent and give up and Wang-Mu silently gloats, then realizes he probably ceded out of courtesy.

* In the JamesBond novel ''You Only Live Twice'', the head of Japan's secret intelligence service, Tiger Tanaka, explains to Bond that Japanese criminals will stop and surrender when ordered to by the authorities, because of the Japanese culture.

* In ''[[EndersGame Children Of The Mind]]'' Peter Wiggin and Si Wang-Mu travel to a Japanese-culture planet which values politeness and humility. Wang-Mu gets into a contest of trying to be more humble and self-effacing than the old man they're interviewing. He eventually seems to relent and give up and Wang-Mu silently gloats, then realizes he probably ceded out of courtesy.

* Psychological studies have shown that people are far more likely to allow you to cut in front of them in line if you simply ask them. This nearly doubles if you give them a reason, even if it's an inane reason. One of the examples given was waiting in line for a copier: "May I cut in front of you? I need to make some copies" will get you what you want actually over half the time.

*** because it ''actually happened to an American POW''.

-->'''Shepard:''' Well, I could have done that.

** In ''Changes'', Harry and some enemies accidentally fall into the hall of the Erlking who (sarcastically) refers to them as "guests". Harry quickly thanks him for his hospitality, binding them into a [[SacredHospitality contract]] and obliging the Erlking to help him out. Of course, being the Erlking, he is not so much annoyed by this as he is impressed, equating Harry to a wily fox.

* In the ''MassEffect3'' DLC, "Citadel" when Shepard needs to get past a locked gate, he/she finds a scared Volus hiding behind a window. Shepard readies his/her gun only to have the current squad mate knock on the glass and politely ask him to unlock the gate for them, which he does.

** This has also been cited as a demo by a pagan or witch about the power of MagicalSpeech.

--> Priest: "Peace be with you."
--> Gav: (automatically) "And also with you." (Step, step, pause, facepalm).
--> Priest: (grinning) "This isn't your first time in a Catholic church, is it?"
--> Gav: "Damn you people and your repetitive conditioning!"

* Subverted in a Spider Robinson story in his collection ''Lady Slings The Booze'' in which a MadScientist creates a device that allows her to fet people to do anything she wants as long as she says "Please".

* ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}.'' For most of the game you are given your quests by a man who prefaces every request with "Would you kindly...", and since it's a videogame, your only choice is to do what he says. [[spoiler:It eventually comes to light that the PlayerCharacter has undergone behavioral conditioning to [[TriggerPhrase obey any order prefaced with those words, without question.]]]]

* In the MassEffect3 DLC, "Citadel" when Shepard needs to get past a locked gate, he/she finds a scared Volus hiding behind a window. Shepard readies his/her gun only to have the current squad mate knock on the glass and politely ask him to unlock the gate for them, which he does.

* ''HarkAVagrant'' has the President Of the United States [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=250 use this on a mob of angry Canadians.]]

* In the MassEffect3 DLC, "Citadel" when Shepard needs to get passed a locked gate, he/she finds a scared Volus hiding behind a window. Shepard readies his/her gun only to have the current squad mate knock on the glass and politely ask him to unlock the gate for them, which he does.
-->'''Shepard:''' Well, I could of done that.

* In the MassEffect3 DLC, "Citadel" when Shepard needs to get passed a locked gate, he/she finds a scared Vorcha hiding behind a window. Shepard readies his/her gun only to have the current squad mate knock on the glass and politely ask him to unlock the gate for them, which he does.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', Xanatos' first two plans fall through, so he brings up a third about tricking the gargoyles into doing the work for him. Goliath appears and reveals he heard it all, asking "I don't suppose you have a Plan D?". [[MagnificentBastard Without missing a beat]], Xanatos simply asks upfront for Goliath to do the task, pointing out how it's in his best interests as well.