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How is this relevant to fixing "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot (the point of this thread) again?
edited 11th Feb '17 2:03:36 AM by Ferot_Dreadnaught
"Could Have Avoided This!" Plot is when somebody (finally) points out about the Elephant in the Living Room, right?
Who says the plot-resolving thing is obvious to the characters (which is a requirement of Elephant in the Living Room)? It may just be evident to the audience. Then there's the fact that different people have different mental processes and therefore some see a solution where others don't. That's why I disagree that Elephant in the Living Room has anything to do with this, and why Just Eat Gilligan should be YMMV.
"Could Have Avoided This!" Plot should just be an In-Universe moment where the characters realize that they could've done something that would've rendered the plot unnecessary.
edited 11th Feb '17 5:20:24 AM by Gosicrystal
Sorry, brain fart.
edited 11th Feb '17 4:46:38 PM by Getta
We don't need justice when we can forgive. We don't need tolerance when we can love.
Walking the Earth
Just want to reiterate that I don't think changing the name to "Could Have Avoided This" Plot makes much sense for, since the trope is usually just one line said by a character, while that name would imply that the plot is focused on it.
If we want to change the name to avoid misuse, maybe something like We Could Have Avoided This Plot would be better so it's clear the characters are saying it, but I honestly think the name is good enough. It's the description that's the problem.
For we shall slay evil with logic...
'Could Have Avoided This Plot' Realization? Unnecessary Plot Realization?
edited 12th Feb '17 4:47:30 AM by Gosicrystal
FYI, this trope was originally We Could Have Avoided All This. It was renamed around 5 years ago
, because most people used it as a Stock Phrase on their own speculations. The description has not changed ever since then significantly.
Since the misuse was cleared along with the original rename, I can only assume any new misuse that has creeped in shows that the problem has resurfaced and a simple rename will not suffice.
"If you aren't him, then you apparently got your brain from the same discount retailer, so..." - Fighteer
The thread was started because the OP didn't know what the trope is about by looking at the description. If they didn't, it's probable many other tropers didn't understand either, and thus the misuse. Maybe it needs some tweaking to make it clear what is needed and what isn't for this trope to apply. How about this?
It often happens due to Poor Communication Kills (talking things out would've helped majorly), but it's not restricted to that. Whatever it is, it must be something that would've rendered the plot unnecessary at a reasonably early point in the episode/work.
It may serve as An Aesop if doing the moral/ethical thing from the start would've improved everything. If the drama happened because a character or more behaved in an uncharacteristically dumb or aggresive way, then the Idiot Ball or the Conflict Ball were used, respectively.
edited 12th Feb '17 10:32:03 AM by Gosicrystal
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
Looks good. That and putting scare quotes around most of the name should suffice.
The Unknown
35 looks good.
If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
Walking the Earth
Still don't think adding the quotes around parts of the title makes much sense. It's not a plot centered around characters realizing they could have avoided something, but a character saying they could have avoided some of the story's plot (usually in a less fourth-wall-breaking way, of course).
I think the description in 35 is a good start and a lot better than what we have on the page now.
For we shall slay evil with logic...
I think the quotes are needed or else people will take the trope at face value and make it about various types of "Filler".
Hence my idea of 'We Could Have Avoided This' Comment.
Stating The Plot Avoiding Solution?
(Playing off Stating the Simple Solution)
We don't need justice when we can forgive. We don't need tolerance when we can love.
That sounds like a terrible snowclone of a name. And now I'm questioning how this trope is distinct from that one you just mentioned.
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
Stating the Simple Solution is for plan-forming (the conflict is not resolved), while "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot is an after-action report (the conflict has been resolved). You're correct that they should reference each other, though. Stating the Simple Solution usually allows the characters to enact the more simple plan (as opposed to A Simple Plan, which causes the "simple solution" to grow incredibly complex and unwieldy).
Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
Clock extended.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
Anyone want to object to changing the current description with the description in post #35?
Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
The Unknown
I already gave my blessing, but others need to chime in.
Reiterating Discar's idea from the first page to custom title it to "Could Have Avoided This" Plot to help alleviate any misuse.
edited 16th Mar '17 11:13:30 AM by Karxrida
If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
35 looks good. At least nothing's wrong with it.
Should mention Stating the Simple Solution and Didn't Think This Through
We don't need justice when we can forgive. We don't need tolerance when we can love.
I am good with 35/47.
NaNo 4328 / 50,000
Due to lack of objections, I've swapped out the description. We can either close this thread, or create a crowner to vote on custom-titling the name.
Link to TRS threads in project mode here.
Are there misuses, by the way?
We don't need justice when we can forgive. We don't need tolerance when we can love.
Yeah, that makes no sense. Elephant in the Living Room can lead to a Just Eat Gilligan moment if the characters get into deeper trouble by ignoring the elephant (or if pointing out the elephant could actually resolve the issue), but most of the time, that is not the case.