History Main / StoppedCaring

When used seriously, the character has probably crossed the DespairEventHorizon, or overlap with SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids. Compare GivingUpOnLogic, ThenLetMeBeEvil, JadedProfessional and ThePowerOfApathy. When one's descent into cynicism is triggered by a particular event (rather than a gradual grind over time), see CynicismCatalyst. If a new character appears and the process starts all over again, see LogicalLatecomer. If a work does this to its audience, it's EightDeadlyWords. When this happens to a creator of a work, see CreatorsApathy.

* The FatalFlaw of Ebeneezer Scrooge in ''Literature/AChristmasCarol''. While most people think of Scrooge as a guy who hates Christmas, he has a greater problem with his fellow man. Scrooge has become old, bitter, and miserly as a result of past tragedies, the worst of which happened around Christmas. As a result, Scrooge no longer cares about the poor and those worse off than him. [[ItWasHisSled But as everybody knows]], [[HeelFaceTurn he eventually learns differently]].

* It happens to Luke in ''Literature/LukeSkywalkerAndTheShadowsOfMindor'' after the villain tries to break him with an involved AndIMustScream session. Very much PlayedForDrama. He becomes nihilistic, depressive, incapable of believing all those high ideals he'd had... but he goes and consciously acts exactly like he would have before this happened, in hopes of BecomingTheMask.

* ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'': This trope is part of Nick's backstory.

* ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'': During his first two onscreen parole hearings, Red assures the workers that he has definitely been rehabilitated by his time in prison. His parole is rejected both times. The third hearing following [[spoiler: Andy's escape from Shawshank]], Red has been so beaten down by his 40 years in prison that he admits to the parole hearers that he thinks that the entire concept of rehabilitation is a sham, and while does genuinely regret the crime he commited to earn his sentence, he's now too old to care whether they release him or not.[[spoiler: Ironically, this admission convinces them to grant him parole]].

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But sometimes, [[SafetyInIndifference they stopped caring]] [[TooBrokenToBreak because it hurt too much.]]

When used seriously, the character has probably crossed the DespairEventHorizon, or overlap with SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids. Compare GivingUpOnLogic, ThenLetMeBeEvil, JadedProfessional. When one's descent into cynicism is triggered by a particular event (rather than a gradual grind over time), see CynicismCatalyst. If a new character appears and the process starts all over again, see LogicalLatecomer. If a work does this to its audience, it's EightDeadlyWords. When this happens to a creator of a work, see CreatorsApathy.

But sometimes, [[SafetyInIndifference they stopped caring because it hurt too much.]]

-->'''Scarlett:''' Rhett! Where shall I go? What shall I do?\\

* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', the krogan race suffer from this collectively. Due to their high breeding rate, the [[SterilityPlague genophage]] was used against them, drastically reducing their birth rate. Though it didn't render them ''completely'' sterile, the krogan's [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy natural proclivity for violence]] frustrates most efforts to treat it. As a result, many krogan are fatalistic about their impending extinction, and thus, only live for violence and short-sighted, selfish goals.

** In "Lisa's Sax", Bart was really enthusiastic about school until he met the ''worst'' kindergarten teacher.

* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'': A problem the writers had with Dib near the end of the show's run was that he was becoming this trope, thus ruining the central conflict of the premise. This is most evident in [[MundaneMadeAwesome Zim Eats Waffles]] wherein after having been humiliated in front of his teammates at the Swollen Eyeball and having his room destroyed by robots, Dib [[BigNo screams]] only briefly, then simply mumbles "whatever...", and goes to bed.

* Used during a ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' sketch, when a spurned member of Franchise/GIJoe decides to join Cobra after being mocked, and stuck with the codename "Fumbles". Only for Cobra Commander to give him a bad one as well (though at least he [[InnocentlyInsensitive wasn't being malicious about it]]).

* After trying and failing to get Bakugou to become a better person for over a decade and being nearly bullied to suicide for it, Izuku finally gave up in ''Fanfic/TheVigilanteBossAndTheFailedRetirementPlan''. Izuku realizes that Bakugou is going to refuse to change and they're both toxic influences on each other. When Izuku and Bakugou reunite at Yuuei, Izuku maintains his distance and refuses to react to Bakugou's baiting. While Izuku still cares for Bakugou on some level, Izuku stopped caring about helping him

When used seriously, the character has probably crossed the DespairEventHorizon, or overlap with SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids. Compare GivingUpOnLogic, ThenLetMeBeEvil, JadedProfessional. When one's descent into cynicism is triggered by a particular event (rather than a gradual grind over time), see CynicismCatalyst. If a new character appears and the process starts all over again, see LogicalLatecomer. If a work does this to its audience, it's EightDeadlyWords.

When used seriously, the character has probably crossed the DespairEventHorizon, or overlap with SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids. Compare GivingUpOnLogic, ThenLetMeBeEvil, JadedProfessional. When one's descent into cynicism is triggered by a particular event (rather than a gradual grind over time), see CynicismCatalyst. If a work does this to its audience, it's EightDeadlyWords.

When used seriously, the character has probably crossed the DespairEventHorizon, or overlap with SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids. Compare GivingUpOnLogic, ThenLetMeBeEvil. When one's descent into cynicism is triggered by a particular event (rather than a gradual grind over time), see CynicismCatalyst. If a work does this to its audience, it's EightDeadlyWords.

** "In Marge We Trust" reveals that Reverend Lovejoy started out as an eager young minister willing to help his parishioners, but was worn down by Ned Flanders' incessant griping. "Finally, I just stopped caring. Luckily, by then, it was TheEighties and no one noticed."

* In '' Disney Emperors new Groove'': This trope happens to emperor cuzco and the peasant pacha, when they get lost in the jungle. They end up getting lost in a jungle, having to fight jaguars, getting accidentally tied to a tree truck, falling off a cliff into a river, cuzco even says hes had enough.This is the exchange that happens next.
-->'' Pacha: Uh-oh
--> Cuzco: Don't tell me, were about to go over a huge waterfall
( stops caring)
--> Pacha: Yep
--> Cuzco: sharp rocks at the bottom
--> Pacha: Most likely
--> Cuzco: Bring it on.
They Fall.

Cuzco: Don't tell me, were about to go over a huge waterfall

Pacha: Yep
Cuzco: sharp rocks at the bottom
Pacha: Most likely
Cuzco: Bring it on.