History Main / TechnologicalPacifist

* When IronMan was first created, at the height of the ColdWar, his company was a proud part of the Military-Industrial Complex. Over the years, writers changed that situation.

* Inverted by JerkAss MadScientist Dr. Nesbit in ''{{Supermegatopia}}''.

* Riff from ''SluggyFreelance'' is a weird example. He likes nothing better than building HumongousMecha, [[MoreDakka absurdly powerful guns]], and generally fiddling with devices that could wipe out a good chunk of the human race. However, [[http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=081210 if Kusari's assessment is correct]], he's not gonna take the idea of the military using any of his inventions too kindly. The whole [[http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=020526 Hereti-Corp situation]] probably soured him on the idea.

**** This is probably a reference to the invention of dynamite for mining purposes, when it was used for military purposes the inventor (Alfred Nobel, of Nobel Prize fame) was horrified in the same way.

** And like the other two oaths, there are so many [[ExactWords/{{Literature}} potential ways to get around it]] that it makes people trust Aes Sedai even less than they would if they never took the oaths to begin with...

** And like the other two oaths, there are so many [[NoManOfWomanBorn potential ways to get around it]] that it makes people trust Aes Sedai even less than they would if they never took the oaths to begin with...

* The Sirta Foundation in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' doesn't produce any weapons out of ethical concerns. They will however produce Biotic Amps that can give a user the ability to ''kill people with their mind'' as well as omni-tools that can be used to ''shut down people's brains''. Well, they aren't technically ''weapons'', now are they?

* Sort-of example: The mad scientist in MysteryMen makes weapons, yes, but everything is completely [[NonlethalWarfare nonlethal]]. [[AbnormalAmmo Surreally]] [[DepletedPhlebotinumShells so]].

->''"Mr. Masterson! I have told my staff time and again, we do not make military robots or Headmaster Units that take over other military robots for... more military things!"'''
--> '''Professor Sumdac''' of WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated, ''The Headmaster''

* ''Film/IronMan'': When the film starts, Tony Stark is the devil-may-care CEO of Stark Industries, a major military contractor, and proud of the weapons he makes. After being held in captivity, however, and seeing his weapons in the hands of terrorists, he has a moral crisis and announces that Stark's weapons manufacturing division will be shut down until he can develop full accountability for who's using them. What he doesn't know is that it's his second in command who's been double-dealing, and this develops into the movie's principal conflict. Tony also has no qualms in deploying the heavily armed Iron Man suit against said terrorists. However, remember that he doesn't seem to mind America using his weapons, he just doesn't want the terrorists using them.

* Similarly, the main character's father in ''SmallSoldiers'' (who owns a toy store) doesn't sell violent toys. When the dad's away though, the son decides to sell a couple, little realizing that these violent toys [[AIIsACrapshoot have artificial intelligence]] ...

* In DangerDeathRay, the inventor of the titular Death Ray insists that it be used only for ''peaceful'' purposes. (A peaceful death ray. You heard right.)

* Subverted in AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''. Ozymandias suggests after analyzing media outlets that war is approaching and that his giant corporation invest accordingly. His assistants protest that the company has never invested in armaments or weapons dealing. He responds that he was not speaking of weapons, but rather diapers, formula, and contraceptives, because people have more sex and children around war time. [[spoiler: Not that he's any kind of pacifist in any case....]]

->''"Mr. Masterson! I have told my staff time and again, we do not make military robots or Headmaster Units that take over other military robots for...more military things!"'''

* Subverted in AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''. Ozymandias suggests after analyzing media outlets that war is approaching and that his giant corporation invest accordingly. His assistants protest that the company has never invested in armaments or weapons dealing. He responds that he was not speaking of weapons, but rather diapers, formula, and contraceptives, because people have more sex and children around war time.

->''"Mr. Masterson! I have told my staff time and again, we do not make military robots or Headmaster Units that take over other military robots for...more military things!"'''

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** He's gone full out with this by the second film, when he does everything in his power to keep the iron man suit out of the US government's hands. At least until Rhodey steals one.

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* ''{{Thunderbirds}}'' has as its overall premise that International Rescue is kept secret because Brains and Jeff Tracy don't want their super-advanced vehicles used by the military. The only real recurring BigBad, The Hood, tries multiple times to acquire photos and designs for the rescue vehicles, and he causes some of the disasters himself to get the chance. The odd thing is that most of the main rescue vehicles are ''heavily armed'', and ExpandedUniverse materials confirm that Jeff and the boys are ex-US military personnel[[note]]All US Air Force except for Gordon, who went into the Navy. Yes, fanon ''does'' have it that he's TheUnfavourite, [[InterServiceRivalry why do you ask?]][[/note]]; they're not pacifists as such, but apparently they'd rather not start some sort of LensmanArmsRace.

* ''GundamSEEDAstray'' has main character Lowe Guele, a mechanic who insist that [[HumongousMecha mobile suits]] are not by nature evil, but get used that way by evil people[[hottip:*:Or, alternately, [[IncrediblyLamePun "Gundams don't kill people, villains kill people".]]. During the final showdown with original BigBad Rondo Ghina Sahaku, Lowe even says that he can hear Rondo's MS crying about being used as an instrument of destruction.

* The Sirta Foundation in ''MassEffect'' doesn't produce any weapons out of ethical concerns.
** They will however produce Biotic Amps that can give a user to ''kill people with their mind'' as well as omni-tools that can be used to ''shut down people's brains''.
*** Well, they aren't technically ''weapons'', now are they?

* ''{{Thunderbirds}}'' has as its overall premise that International Rescue is kept secret because Brains and Jeff Tracy don't want their super-advanced vehicles used by the military. The only real recurring BigBad, The Hood, tries multiple times to acquire photos and designs for the rescue vehicles, and he causes some of the disasters himself to get the chance. The odd thing is that most of the main rescue vehicles are ''heavily armed'', so they're not ''regular'' pacifists at all.

* Subverted by JerkAss MadScientist Dr. Nesbit in ''{{Supermegatopia}}''.

* Subverted in AlanMoore's ''{{Watchmen}}''. Ozymandias suggests after analyzing media outlets that war is approaching and that his giant corporation invest accordingly. His assistants protest that the company has never invested in armaments or weapons dealing. He responds that he was not speaking of weapons, but rather diapers, formula, and contraceptives, because people have more sex and children around war time.

A TechnologicalPacifist is a scientist, corporation, or organization that -- no matter how big they may be or how many products or services they may provide -- will never, ever design, produce, or sell weaponry or military products. Why they may do this may vary, but generally it's given that using their genius to make weapons would go against their core principles.

A TechnologicalPacifist is a scientist, corporation, or organization that -- no matter how big they may be or how many products or services they may provide -- will never, ever design, produce, or sell weaponry or military products. Why they may do this may vary, but generally it's given that to make military supplies would go against what the company stands for.

In a world of mass media that is chock-full of [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Corrupt Corporate Executives]], it may sometimes be hard to know what businesses and corporations you ''can'' trust, especially when they're really big and have a rather important role in a series or movie. So sometimes, the creators will attempt to assure their audience that ''this'' is a good corporation you can trust, because they're a TechnologicalPacifist, and no matter how big they may be or how many products or services they may provide, you can be sure that they'll never, ever design, produce, or sell weaponry or military products. Why they may do this may vary, but generally it's given that to make military supplies would go against what the company stands for, it's below them, or they have morals that forbid that sort of thing.

This can be all well and good, but often, it doesn't just stop there. In many cases, a TechnologicalPacifist has a side effect of delivering a message that anyone who produces weapons or military equipment is clearly bad and up to no good. This is especially true when the company performs other questionable activities or produces items that could be used as weapons, but are still given a pass on those things, or if there's a guy waiting to take over (or has taken over) the company you just know is corrupt and they make their first priority the expansion of the corporation into weapons manufacturing.

* Subverted by EvillyAffable JerkAss MadScientist Dr. Nesbit in ''{{Supermegatopia}}''.

** He's gone full out with this by the second film, when he does everything in his power to keep the iron man suit out of the US government's hands. At least until his Rhodey steals one.

* ''Thunderbirds'' has as its overall premise that International Rescue is kept secret because Brains and Jeff Tracy don't want their super-advanced vehicles used by the military. The only real recurring BigBad, The Hood, tries multiple times to acquire photos and designs for the rescue vehicles, and he causes some of the disasters himself to get the chance. The odd thing is that most of the main rescue vehicles are ''heavily armed'', so they're not ''regular'' pacifists at all.

* Somewhat subverted in ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}!''. When Kaiba took over his father's company, he changed it from a military manufacturer to a gaming company. However, the games he makes have been at times sadistic. And, of course, ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney.