Misused: They Just Didnt Care

I'm honestly shocked this didn't get sent to Darth Wiki yet. This is a trope that is somewhat related to the production values of a show, but just peeking at some of the related articles, it's used for a whole sort of issues, mainly a lot of Bad Writing tropes, nitpicking, or just complaining in general.

There's 1121 articles it's in, 1975 inbounds so I don't know if anything is going to get done. Plus the trope itself it basically "an obvious lack of care went into a product", which pretty much opens itself a lot of abuse. I would suggest either changing the name to make it more related to the production value and narrow it down, or moving it to Darth Wiki like with Ruined Forever or...just cutting it.

Thoughts?

Previous topic

Long story short, the term is fairly widespread among internet vernacular and although prone to complaining it isn't inherently a complaining trope like Dethroning Moment Of Suck. If it was possible that all editors would stick by the definition it could, in fact, be an objective trope. Darth Wiki isn't a dumping ground for problem tropes.

I did a search and apparently missed that topic. Huh. How about just make it an index of bad production value related tropes, that way there isn't much clean up?

That would not fix any problem.

I see no problem here.

I'd always thought this trope was the Artistic License index turned Up To Eleven, and was ready to defend it as such. After reading it over, though...yeah, I don't get how this isn't a complaint trope, as it stands. Also, how, aside from Word of God, do we know whether a work's problems stem from apathy, incompetence, or something else altogether (like a language barrier between key staff members)?

This trope more or less is about works that are made without much effort in term of production.

I'd say keep it, but restrict the hell out its usage, specifying that it's only to be used in cases where a reasonable amount of proof that the director and/or writer didn't give a crap about what they were doing. Right now it's being used in cases where another trope (i.e. No Budget or Special Effects Failure) would really be more appropriate, and to complain about instances where a writer/director/whoever is legitimately trying their best at the work, but makes some adaptational slip-up due to not being a hardcore fan. An Example Sectionectomy would probably be in order, too.

It's also frequently used when the creators "just didn't care" about anything, even things unconnected with production values. "This was totally inaccurate, but They Just Didn't Care." "This wasn't true to the novel, but They Just Didn't Care." That's what happens when you use a stock phrase as a title.

So it's completely dependent on the editor's opinion on whether the creators cared or not? Being used as a Stock Phrase everywhere?

Hmmmm.

Yeah, it's kinda an awful name unless we're specifically fishing for complaints.

Nothing justifies the current name.

Except for the 2100+ inbounds.

Nothing justifies the current title as the name of a trope.

It's a GREAT name for marketing.

Clock is set.

I always thought this was when the editors did barely any editing or when the writer(s) wrote a story that itself, by its own logic, doesn't make any sense.

I think this is one of our verbal tics in editing now. We should probably hold a crowner here to decide what to do about that (if anything).

I would agree if we hadn't had such a crowner already, which went wrong.

Good point. Ok, since the community has failed to reach a consensus on this issue, could we ask the admins? If the admins have no strong opinion, we should just lock this topic, but if they agree there is a problem here they may have a good method to use.

The last crowner, for reference.

Clock's up; locking up.