Line #25 PlayingWith/HumansAreGood


1	'''Basic Trope''': Humans are morally upright compared to other sapient species.
2	* '''Straight''': The typical human specimen, by the standards of fellow sophonts, is generally [[NiceGuy pleasant]] to be around, and has a compulsion to do good, sometimes ForGreatJustice or ForHappiness.
3	* '''Exaggerated''': Humans are AlwaysLawfulGood [[AllLovingHero all-loving heroes]] and [[IncorruptiblePurePureness incorruptibly pure]] who wouldn't so much as harm a fly, the very ''concept'' of evil doesn't exist on their planets, which are of course utopian NoPoverty [[SugarBowl sugar bowls]] populated by [[PuritySue purity sues]] living in a ShiningCity.
4	* '''Downplayed''': [[HumansAreFlawed Humans may be flawed]], but they [[RousseauWasRight always strive to be their best selves]].
5	* '''Justified''':
6	** Humans are [[PunyEarthlings squishy and weak]] by themselves, and they can ensure a good chance of survival by [[ThePowerOfFriendship cooperating with others of their kind]]. And since ChronicBackstabbingDisorder is the surest way to destroy group unity, and fostering an environment of [[ThePowerOfTrust trust]] and kindness improves the unity of that group, then it follows that their behavior is a product of evolution.
7	** Alternatively, humans were created to be in touch with their own scruples.
8	* '''Inverted''':
9	** AliensAreBastards
10	** HumansAreTheRealMonsters
11	* '''Subverted''':
12	** The species that is being used as humanity's moral yardstick is beholden to an incompatible BlueAndOrangeMorality system and comparison is pointless and invalid; for example, this species, say, [[StarfishAliens the Rayluon]], are a race of immortals by means of ResurrectiveImmortality. So, when they MercyKill their injured conspecifics, a human observer may assume their [[PlanetOfHats hat]] is [[TheSocialDarwinist social darwinism]], when in reality it's their form of medical care. Speaking of which, ''they'' might assume that hospitals are actually glorified torture chambers.
13	** Taking the [[TheFederation galactic community]] by [[DidntSeeThatComing surprise]], the human empire [[HumansAreWarriors invades and conquers]] the world of Aeron-IV, [[MonumentalDamage destroying their dearest landmarks]], [[NukeEm blowing up city blocks, military installations, and more]] and rumors of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil forced labor]] begin percolating out of the system.
14	* '''Double Subverted''':
15	** And then it's revealed that the Rayluon are actually NighInvulnerable, can only be hurt by others of their own kind, and the process of coming BackFromTheDead is [[PainfulTransformation excruciatingly]] [[AndIMustScream painful]]. And they all know this, but they [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist claim that they would do it]] [[BlatantLies only for their compatriots own health]], so that when the inevitable betrayal comes they can lavish in their abject ''despair'' and [[ColdBloodedTorture pain]] because [[AlwaysChaoticEvil they're all]] [[ForTheEvulz sadistic]] [[AliensAreBastards bastards]], and using them as a moral yardstick is justified.
16	** The [[TheEmpire government]] running Aeron-IV are tyrannical ScaryDogmaticAliens and [[WellIntentionedExtremist humanity]] sought to free the people of the planet from this oppression- the rumors of slavery were MaliciousSlander. They might be a DestructiveSavior, but GoodIsNotSoft, after all.
17	* '''Parodied''': Xythax ran a system-wide survey to find one, just ''one'' human who wasn't a [[NiceGuy goody-goody-two-shoes]] with ChronicHeroSyndrome to the point of [[DudleyDoRightStopsToHelp self-sabotage]] to [[PetTheDog save a dog in need]].
18	* '''Zig-Zagged''': Some humans are good, others are [[{{Jerkass}} assholes]]. Yet still, some [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold possess hearts of gold]].
19	* '''Averted''': Humans are no better nor worse than their counterparts.
20	* '''Enforced''': The [[AuthorTract author]] is feeling positive about their kind.
21	* '''Lampshaded''': "Huh. For a violent, warfaring, environment-destroying species, humans sure are good compared to other sapient life."
22	* '''Invoked''': ???
23	* '''Exploited''': A group of scammers set up a phony charity or ScamReligion on Earth to defraud humans out of their money, which they think is being sent to a noble cause.
24	* '''Defied''': [[CardCarryingVillain Bob]] is [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad horrified]] at the notion that he is inherently good, as he is human, and tries extra hard to be a villain so that he can [[MoralEventHorizon work off]] [[CompleteMonster his debts.]]
25	* '''Discussed''': "I don’t know why, but none of the sapient species I’ve met have ever shown caring or compassion like humans do."
26	* '''Conversed''': "So, there's a bunch of different alien species, but humans are the only good ones? This show is weird."
27	* '''Deconstructed''':
28	** Supposedly, the fact that humans have a predisposition to be their best accentuated the evil of some individuals, who 'chose' to be horrible people, rather than being horrible by their very nature. Aliens [[NeverLiveItDown never let them forget]] the atrocities of their very worst, to the point of completely disregarding any attempt at making up for centuries-old crimes and [[AccentuateTheNegative generalizing those crimes to the majority of humanity]] because being good is just an instinct and EvilIsEasy. And so, humanity collectively decides, ThenLetMeBeEvil.
29	** In this [[CrapsackWorld universe]], GoodIsDumb — ergo, HumansAreMorons.
30	----
31	Back to HumansAreGood
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33	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
34	%% * '''Implied''': ???
35	%% * '''Reconstructed''': ???
36	%% * '''Played for Laughs''': ???
37	%% * '''Played for Drama''': ???

Context PlayingWith / HumansAreGood