History Main / CrapsackWorld

A Crapsack World is a horrible setting where the [[TheCynic pessimistic]] notion of "[[FinaglesLaw anything that can go wrong]] will go ''horribly'' wrong" almost always applies, and it corrupts its inhabitants into [[HumansAreBastards perpetuating that nastiness against each other]]. More succinctly, trying to survive in one of these places [[ThisIsGonnaSuck is gonna suck]].

Although there are countless ways Crapsack Worlds can be depicted (often with SceneryGorn), it is usually [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]], lie towards Romanticism on the RomanticismVersusEnlightenment scale, and on the [[CynicismTropes cynical end]] of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism, so it will have either GreyAndGrayMorality or BlackAndGreyMorality, if not outright EvilVersusEvil in the worst of cases (beware of DarknessInducedAudienceApathy if you decide to go this route though). Settings like these are not kind at all to [[WideEyedIdealist idealists]], who usually get [[BreakTheCutie traumatized]] and/or [[CruelAndUnusualDeath die horribly]] when their attempts to change the world through idealism meet tragic ends.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, [[TheChewToy Chew Toys]] and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', ''WebAnmation/MattNDusty'', and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

This trope is also known as World Half Empty, for the expression of pessimism being a state of seeing a glass with half the amount of water in it as being "Half empty". Also, a half-empty glass means it can only be emptied, and can't be refilled. It represents [[DespairEventHorizon hopelessness and inevitable doom]], fitting this trope perfectly. By definition, contrast AWorldHalfFull.

Although there are countless ways Crapsack Worlds can be depicted (often with SceneryGorn), it is usually [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]], lie towards Romanticism on the RomanticismVersusEnlighenment scale, and on the [[CynicismTropes cynical end]] of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism, so it will have either GreyAndGrayMorality or BlackAndGreyMorality, if not outright EvilVersusEvil in the worst of cases (beware of DarknessInducedAudienceApathy if you decide to go this route though). Settings like these are not kind at all to [[WideEyedIdealist idealists]], who usually get traumatized and/or die horribly when their attempts to change the world through idealism meet tragic ends.

If a SugarBowl (usually the antithesis of this trope) turns out to be one of these under the surface, then you have yourself a CrapsaccharineWorld. If the people who live in the Crapsack World don't realise or pretend it isn't a horrible place to be in, it is a FalseUtopia. A VillainWorld or DeathWorld is likely to be this, and BadFuture is a SubTrope. Someone who just thinks the world they inhabit is this is a [[TheCynic Cynic]] or a NietzscheWannabe (or a GrumpyBear if he lives in a pretty nice world).

Although there are countless ways Crapsack Worlds can be depicted (often with SceneryGorn), it is usually [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]], lie towards Romanticism on the RomanticismVersusEnlighenmentScale, and on the [[CynicismTropes cynical end]] of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism, so it will have either GreyAndGrayMorality or BlackAndGreyMorality, if not outright EvilVersusEvil in the worst of cases (beware of DarknessInducedAudienceApathy if you decide to go this route though). Settings like these are not kind at all to [[WideEyedIdealist idealists]], who usually get traumatized and/or die horribly when their attempts to change the world through idealism meet tragic ends.

This trope is also known as WorldHalfEmpty, for the expression of pessimism being a state of seeing a glass with half the amount of water in it as being "Half empty". Also, a half-empty glass means it can only be emptied, and can't be refilled. It represents hopelessness and inevitable doom, fitting this trope perfectly. By definition, contrast AWorldHalfFull.

Although there are countless ways Crapsack Worlds can be depicted (often with SceneryGorn), it is usually [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]] and on the [[CynicismTropes cynical end]] of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism, so it will have either GreyAndGrayMorality or BlackAndGreyMorality, if not outright EvilVersusEvil in the worst of cases (beware of DarknessInducedAudienceApathy if you decide to go this route though). Settings like these are not kind at all to [[WideEyedIdealist idealists]], who usually get traumatized and/or die horribly when their attempts to change the world through idealism meet tragic ends.

-->-- '''James Branch Cabell''', ''The Silver Stallion'', [[BeamMeUpScotty misattributed to]] '''Robert Oppenheimer'''

* CrapsackWorld/WebAnimation

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', ''WebAnmation/MattNDusty'', and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

->''The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist fears it is true.''

Villains tend to run the gamut from sympathetic {{Anti Villain}}s (on any level of the SlidingScaleOfAntiVillains) right down to the most horrific {{Complete Monster}}s to grace any kind of media. {{Complete Monster}}s are especially common in these kinds of settings, both to represent the misery of the setting in general and to give the AntiHero someone to whom he can look good in comparison. In truly extreme cases, even the most [[VillainWithGoodPublicity popular]] or powerful of these monsters [[BeingEvilSucks suffer just as badly as everyone else.]] And AnyoneCanDie.

''NoRealLifeExamplesPlease This is a metaphysical trope that's clearly defined by the writer, not an opinion by people complaining about the world as a whole (Localized places that '''are''' very horrible in Real Life should perhaps go to WretchedHive and other non-metaphysical tropes instead).'' Please also note that a Crapsack World will suck for everyone and everything. NO one benefits or enjoys their existence in such a place, or if they do, then it is only brief.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

* A ''[[ScrewDestiny mutable]]'' Crapsack World simply ''starts out'' as crappy, but a determined protagonist and his TrueCompanions, be they the [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight In Shining]] (or in many of these cases, [[KnightInSourArmour Sour]]) [[KnightInShiningArmor Armor]] or a simple old PI, can actually cause some, but mostly few, [[EarnYourHappyEnding positive changes in the setting]]. See also AWorldHalfFull. Example: ''{{Fallout}}'', ''MadMax'', ''{{Waterworld}}''.

* A ''[[ScrewDestiny mutable]]'' Crapsack World simply ''starts out'' as crappy, but a determined protagonist and his TrueCompanions, be they the [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight In Shining]] (or in many of these cases, [[KnightInSourArmour Sour]]) [[KnightInShiningArmor Armor]] or a simple old PI, can actually cause some, but mostly few, [[EarnYourHappyEnding positive changes in the setting]]. See also AWorldHalfFull.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', {{Dilbert}}, and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

* An ''[[StatusQuoIsGod immutable]]'' Crapsack World cannot be saved or made a better place -- it has agony InherentInTheSystem, both physically and metaphysically. Trying to break TheCorruption [[StatusQuoIsGod will instead always result]] in [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu breaking every bone in your body]] [[DownerEnding and it winning]], and any positive changes that you try to make will ultimately be torn down and revealed to be AllForNothing -- or even worse, they will only succeed in [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making things even worse for you and the people that you were trying to help]], and/or [[GambitRoulette even accomplish whatever the villains wanted in the first place]]. Example: ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' and the LovecraftianFiction genre in general.

* An ''[[StatusQuoIsGod immutable]]'' Crapsack World has agony InherentInTheSystem, both physically and metaphysically. Trying to break TheCorruption [[StatusQuoIsGod will instead always result]] in [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu breaking every bone in your body]] [[DownerEnding and it winning]], and any positive changes that you try to make will ultimately be torn down and revealed to be AllForNothing -- or even worse, they will only succeed in [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making things even worse for you and the people that you were trying to help]], and/or [[GambitRoulette even accomplish whatever the villains wanted in the first place]]. In short, this world cannot be saved. Example: ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' and the LovecraftianFiction genre in general.

* An ''[[StatusQuoIsGod immutable]]'' Crapsack World has agony InherentInTheSystem, both physically and metaphysically. Trying to break TheCorruption [[StatusQuoIsGod will instead always result]] in [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu breaking every bone in your body]] [[DownerEnding and it winning]], and any positive changes that you try to make will ultimately be torn down and revealed to be AllForNothing -- or even worse, they will only succeed in [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making things even worse for you and the people that you were trying to help]], and/or [[GambitRoulette even accomplish whatever the villains wanted in the first place]]. Example: ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' and the LovecraftianFiction genre in general.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]]]'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

* A ''[[RuleOfFunny comedic]]'' Crapsack World is PlayedForLaughs and is made up of idiots, {{Jerkass}}es, {{Butt Monkey}}s, {{Chew Toy}}s and the occasional OnlySaneMan, with plenty of ComedicSociopathy to go around. These include the BlackComedy, the SadistShow and the WorldGoneMad. The "upside" is that it's usually [[SatireParodyPastiche parodic]] and [[CrossesTheLineTwice funny in its extremes]]. Though people die left and right, it likely has NegativeContinuity to facilitate the inhabitants' suffering. Examples: ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'', TreehouseOfHorror, ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' and ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.

A Crapsack World is a horrible setting where the [[TheCynic pessimistic]] notion of "[[FinaglesLaw anything that can go wrong]] will go ''horribly'' wrong" almost always applies, and it corrupts its inhabitants into perpetuating that nastiness against each other. More succinctly, trying to survive in one of these places [[ThisIsGonnaSuck is gonna suck]].

If a SugarBowl (usually the antithesis of this trope) turns out to be one of these under the surface, then you have yourself a CrapsaccharineWorld. If the people who live in the CrapsackWorld don't realise or pretend it isn't a horrible place to be in, it is a FalseUtopia. A VillainWorld or DeathWorld is likely to be this, and BadFuture is a SubTrope. Someone who just thinks the world they inhabit is this is a [[TheCynic Cynic]] or a NietzscheWannabe (or a GrumpyBear if he lives in a pretty nice world).

This kind of world often occurs AfterTheEnd. WretchedHive and CityNoir are tinier versions of the Crapsack World. A {{Dystopia}} is a speculative Crapsack World ruled by repressive forces modeled after real-life politics. A TeenageWasteland is a Crapsack World run by kids. If the Crapsack World's continued misery is caused by supernatural forces, see DarkFantasy, HellOnEarth and CosmicHorrorStory.

If a SugarBowl (usually the antithesis of this trope) turns out to be one of these under the surface, then you have yourself a CrapsaccharineWorld. If the people who live in the CrapsackWorld don't realise or pretend it isn't a horrible place to be in, it is a FalseUtopia. A VillainWorld is likely to be this, and BadFuture is a SubTrope. Someone who just thinks the world they inhabit is this is a [[TheCynic Cynic]] or a NietzscheWannabe (or a GrumpyBear if he lives in a pretty nice world).

Heroes in this setting are usually {{Anti Hero}}es, and often have at least a bit of the DeadpanSnarker about them. [[BeingGoodSucks Being good will suck]], and if there are genuinely good heroes in this setting, expect them to be [[KnightInSourArmor Knights In Sour Armor]] and/or {{Hurting Hero}}es -- more idealistic heroes such as the KnightInShiningArmor tend to not last long in this kind of setting.

* An ''[[StatusQuoIsGod immutable]]'' Crapsack World has agony InherentInTheSystem, both physically and metaphysically. Trying to break TheCorruption [[StatusQuoIsGod will instead always result]] in [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu breaking every bone in your body]] [[DownerEnding and it winning]], and any positive changes that you try to make will ultimately be torn down and revealed to be AllForNothing -- or even worse, they will only succeed in [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making things even worse for you and the people that you were trying to help]], and/or [[GambitRoulette even accomplish whatever the villains wanted in the first place]]. If you actually do manage to win out, expect your victory to be a {{Pyrrhic|Victory}} one. Example: ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' and the LovecraftianFiction genre in general.

* An ''[[StatusQuoIsGod immutable]]'' Crapsack World has agony InherentInTheSystem, both physically and metaphysically. Trying to break TheCorruption [[StatusQuoIsGod will instead always result]] in [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu breaking every bone in your body]] [[DownerEnding and it winning]], and any positive changes that you try to make will ultimately be torn down and revealed to be AllForNothing -- or even worse, they will only succeed in [[NiceJobBreakingItHero making things even worse for you and the people that you were trying to help]], and/or [[GambitRoulette even accomplish whatever the villains wanted in the first place]]. Example: ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' and the LovecraftianFiction genre in general.