Line #4 PlayingWith/WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency


1	'''Basic Trope''': A character demands praise for doing some mundane virtue.
2	* '''Straight''': Bob demands a raise for showing up to work on time.
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Bob demands a prize for never having murdered anybody.
5	** Bob shows up for work an hour late, but he still demands a raise for showing up ''at all''.
6	** Alice agrees to give Bob small rewards to encourage his improvement, but Bob demands much more.
7	* '''Downplayed''':
8	** Bob demands a pat on the head from his supervisor every time he takes out the trash without spilling everything everywhere. Annoying, perhaps, but endearing in a way.
9	** Bob is a [[ReformedBully reformed juvenile delinquent]], and as a reformed and virtuous man, he understands that wanting a prize for basic decency is one of the many habits that the members of polite society may find annoying. But when he meets [[NeverAcceptedInHisHometown people from his old neighborhood]] who [[ReformedButRejected refuse to acknowledge his reform]], [[DudeWheresMyRespect he demands that they should acknowledge]] that he hasn't done any of his old victimizing behaviors in years, so stop bringing up old grudges!
10	** Bob saves Alice's life and expects her to be grateful. Alice points out that they have a very dangerous job, and they're lives are always at risk. Furthermore, Alice's teammates have saved her countless times, as she has done for them too, and don't expect her to thank them.
11	* '''Justified''':
12	** Bob was raised {{spoiled\|Brat}} and has no idea how normal people interact.
13	** Bob is a JerkAss who treats other people badly and expects to be rewarded for acting like a decent human being.
14	** Bob has [[ReluctantPsycho compulsions towards]] [[EnemyWithin evil]], and it takes a lot of effort on his part to [[FightingFromTheInside keep these urges at bay]]. Regular rewards make it easier for him to stick to his rehab/training regimen.
15	** Bob is mentally/psychologically disabled in some way, and things which are effortless for other people take enormous amounts of energy for him to do.
16	** Bob has recently reformed and wants it noted how far he's come.
17	** Bob lives in a CrapsackWorld where basic human decency ''does'' deserve a medal.
18	** Bob was raised by AbusiveParents, whose treatment of him set [[DeliberateValuesDissonance his idea of basic human decency]].
19	** Bob is a [[BrattyHalfPint toddler]] and doesn't yet understand that there's no reward for doing things you're supposed to, and in fact there might be a punishment or unpleasant consequence for not doing them.
20	** Considering [[PersonOfMassDestruction the kind of devastation that Bob can unleash if he feels like it]], it's probably wise to acknowledge that he has ''some'' [[TheFettered self-control]].
21	** Bob is a recovering alcoholic, and treating himself to ice cream after reaching milestones helps him recover.
22	** Bob simply has BlueAndOrangeMorality compared to everybody else and thinks that being a minimally decent person is a major accomplishment.
23	** Jim is an UngratefulBastard and Bob points it out, even if his phrasing may be [[ThatCameOutWrong a victim of foot-in-mouth disease]]: "You know, where I come from, there's something they teach kids in school named "saying 'please' and 'thank you'!"
24	* '''Inverted''':
25	** Bob is normally a very well-behaved, law-abiding man who [[ItsAllMyFault turns himself in to the police]] [[FelonyMisdemeanor for driving one MPH over the speed limit]].
26	** Bob is a HumbleHero who, when presented with rewards for saving his city and country on numerous occasions, tells basically ThinkNothingOfIt as his acceptance speech.
27	** Bob, a CardCarryingVillain, wants a prize from the BigBad for ''[[EvilerThanThou not]]'' [[EvilerThanThou behaving with basic decency]], thus distinguishing him from the MinionWithAnFInEvil who is a decent moral agent despite claiming to be evil.
28	** Bob is [[DisproportionateReward extremely grateful]] for the kind of small and common courtesies that the average person will tend to take for granted. It's so noticeable that you could describe him as being eager to give prizes for basic decency.
29	** Bob [[KeepTheReward declines praise and rewards]] for his kind deeds and words even when the people he helped are genuinely grateful, saying, "It's basic decency."
30	** Bob is being reprimanded and brings up a much worse option that what he did (e.g., "I could have hit him with a brick instead of punching him").
31	** [[UngratefulBastard Alice]] [[DudeWheresMyReward refuses to reward Bob]] [[BigDamnHeroes for going above]] [[SaveTheWorld and beyond]] [[SaveThePrincess basic human decency]], and upon being confronted with a reminder of her promise, says [[TheCakeIsALie she only gave it to get him on her side]].
32	** Alice ''condemns'' Bob (unprovoked) for his basic decency, because she has a [[BlueAndOrangeMorality skewed]] [[BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad moral compass]] or [[PsychologicalProjection she assumes he MUST want a reward]], [[EvilCannotComprehendGood because why else would he act decently]]?
33	* '''Subverted''':
34	** Bob brags that he isn't a mass murderer. When Alice sarcastically asks him if he wants a medal, he says no.
35	** What Bob wants for basic human decency also falls within the realm of human decency, such as "I'd appreciate it if you didn't [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat the crap out of me]]."
36	** Bob is a decent and kind person, but people don't recognise it, while they will criticise him for every minor screw-up and [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten never let him forget it]]. And if he doesn't screw up, people make up reasons to criticise him. For obvious reasons, this bothers him and he demands that people start treating him fairly.
37	* '''Double Subverted''':
38	** But when Alice then says, "All right, then, I won't give you one," he whines about it.
39	** Bob's full request is "I'd appreciate it if you didn't beat the crap out of me … for that last round of kids I murdered."
40	** Bob turns out to be [[BitchInSheepsClothing less decent and kind than he seemed to be]], and when called out for genuinely hurtful behavior, he deflects by pointing out all the good things he did as if it's supposed to cancel out the bad things.
41	* '''Parodied''':
42	** Bob presents an itemized list of bad things he has never done and demands rewards equally and inversely proportionate to their immorality for each of them.
43	** Bob thinks being DamnedByFaintPraise is good.
44	** Bob is the PunchClockHero's logical extreme.
45	** Someone gives Bob an actual framed diploma saying "This certifies that Bob is a decent human being."
46	** Bob is accused of ArsonMurderAndJaywalking. He doesn't contest the first two, but not only will he [[ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne furiously rebut the]] {{jaywalking\|WillRuinYourLife}} [[FelonyMisdemeanor charge]], he demands official recognition for owning up to all his behaviour. He says, "Hey, AtLeastIAdmitIt!"
47	* '''Zig-Zagged''': Bob wants to be rewarded for quotidian "goodness" sometimes, but not all the time.
48	* '''Averted''': Bob is a decent person and doesn't feel entitled to rewards for decency.
49	* '''Enforced''': This shows that not everyone is motivated to be normal without asking for something in return.
50	* '''Lampshaded''': "Sheesh, Bob, do you want a medal?"
51	* '''Invoked''': Bob sees Chrissy get commendation for something and decides he should get it too, being unaware she was commended for going above and beyond.
52	* '''Exploited''':
53	** Knowing Bob's intense desire to be rewarded for mundane things, the BigBad uses promises of power to [[FaceHeelTurn lure Bob to the dark side]].
54	** TheCorrupter convinces Bob to [[WhosLaughingNow turn on his friends]] [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal for not appreciating his basic decency enough]].
55	* '''Defied''':
56	** Bob really wants to ask for a prize for being a decent human being, but he doesn't.
57	** Bob withholds demands for a prize until he accomplishes something big, and ''then'' he is obnoxious about it.
58	** Bob believes it would be unfair of him to ask for rewards or praise for doing something a decent person would do normally, so he simply does his part.
59	* '''Discussed''':
60	** [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech "Earth to Bob: your 'hard work' creates more 'hard work' for the people who have to fix what you fucked up! We're not giving you that raise unless you stop drinking and shut up about the raise."]]
61	** "Congratulations for not killing anyone, Bob. I won't call the police and you won't go to prison; that is your reward."
62	* '''Conversed''': "Bob's constantly virtue-signaling about how good he is at this job, but then he does basically nothing during the entire episode. I wonder if the author [[CreatorBreakdown has a grudge]] [[TakeThat against some coworker like him?]]"
63	* '''Implied''': Bob gets paid more for picking up after himself, unlike everyone else, for whom this is treated as normal.
64	* '''Deconstructed''': Bob's boss thinks about how to motivate Bob to start meeting minimal standards of good behavior, and decides to try giving Bob the lavish praise he obviously wants. This works well, and Bob's performance rises from "inadequate" to "minimally meeting a low standard." Which was all the success that the boss had expected or tried for.
65	* '''Reconstructed''': But after a while, Bob's coworker Alice starts complaining: "I work incredibly hard, and all I hear is praise for that mediocre Bob. Worse, now he's all self-righteous every time someone argues with him, because he thinks he's actually as good a worker as someone like me. I gotta tell you, it's bad for morale." Since the boss realizes that what's really important is to have good performance from Alice, he starts giving praise in a way that puts Alice's concerns ahead of Bob's, and diminishing Bob's praise so others will see that hard work is rewarded. This may encourage Bob to work harder to continue receiving lavish praise.
66	* '''Played for Laughs''': Bob demands outlandish rewards for being minimally respectable as a RunningGag.
67	* '''Played for Drama''': Bob demands credit for being minimally respectable, which puts him at odds with the other people in his life.
68	* '''Played for Horror''': Let's just say: [[DisproportionateRetribution what Bob decides to do in revenge for not getting that prize]] makes it more of a reason to have given it to him when he asked for it.
69	----
70	Here's a link back to [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency the main page]]. Now, DudeWheresMyReward

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