History Main / WhileRomeBurns

** The original has another great example with the "Hunting Parties". While in [[Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968 its predecessor]] they are doing an effective, if [[KillEmAll indiscriminate]] job of clearing the countryside, by this point it is evident that they are likely going to fail, so what we see is a bunch of soldiers, cops, and assorted rednecks grilling, getting drunk, and doing their damnedest to enjoy their last hours of life.

* In ''Manga/AltinaTheSwordPrincess'', Johaprecia had the Emperor host a party with wild abandon while a war was going on just outside, and convinced the Emperor and a second concubine of indeterminite gender to simply not care. [[spoiler:It gets her killed]].

* In ''Film/MeanGirls'', after the female population of the school has descended into madness over the Burn Book, [[AlphaBitch Regina George]] stands at the top of the stairs and admires her handiwork as people run past and debris flies through the shot. It [[GoneHorriblyRight Goes Horribly Right]] When the Principal and the Staff severly punish everyone in the gym.

* In ''Film/MeanGirls'', after the female population of the school has descended into madness over the Burn Book, [[AlphaBitch Regina George]] stands at the top of the stairs and admires her handiwork as people run past and debris flies through the shot.

The trope is named after Roman Emperor UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}, who is purported to have been singing and playing his lyre (not what we call the "fiddle" despite PopCulturalOsmosis) while [[TheGreatFire Rome was ravaged by a massive fire]] (though there are no detailed accounts of the fire from contemporary historians, thus there is debate about how true that is), and as such implies an authority [[IgnoredExpert ignoring the pleas]] [[CassandraTruth of its subjects]], or simply not caring enough, although it has broadened to mean simply carrying on as normal when the whole world falls to pieces around you.

*** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive President]] [[StarterVillain Shinra]] looks calmly out of his window at the destruction of a whole sector of the city, a Haydn piece playing in the background.

** An asari aligned with [[CoolOldLady Matriarch]] [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch Aethyta]] has this view of her own people

** Dave also seems perfectly fine continuing to update his [[StylisticSuck absolutely awful]] [[ShowWithinAShow webcomic]], Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff, even though [[spoiler: the world is ending]].

* TropeNamer: According to legend, Emperor UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} played the fiddle (or lute, or lyre) while Rome was burning down. Supposedly, his men actually helped ''set'' the fire. This story was more likely than not circulated by those who disliked/despised him. All actual evidence found suggests he wasn't even in the city at the time and quite possibly wouldn't have been in any position to help. It is quite certain that he didn't have a fiddle (as he's often portrayed in cartoons) since they weren't invented until a thousand years later. According to Tacitus, he rushed back to Rome when he heard of the fire and funded the relief effort, and while he may not have ''set'' the fire, there is little doubt that he benefited from it; the section of Rome that burned, Nero had had plans to raze it to build something. This fact probably contributed to the [[UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories suspicion that he]] [[MotiveEqualsConclusiveEvidence deliberately set the fire]].

* During UsefulNotes/SouthKorea's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_MV_Sewol MV Sewol Disaster,]] caused by a series of DisasterDominoes[[note]]including ignoring regulators' warnings that the ship was top-heavy and thus needed lots of ballast, [[HanlonsRazor making a haphazard sharp turn that in an area infamous for strong currents among other acts of crew incompetence,]] and the aforementioned disobedience of the regulators leading to the ship capsizing when making said sharp turn)[[/note]] witnesses testified that the crew, [[KarmicDeath of which many didn't survive]], [[ItsAllAboutMe were all "relaxing themselves"]] [[http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-ferry-crew-idUSKBN0GY08E20140903 drinking beer while waiting to be rescued.]] The surviving crew members then claimed that they were expecting that [[BystanderSyndrome it was the Coast Guard's job]] to rescue the passengers, and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome this attitude led to]] the [[WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife deaths of 295 (not including 2 rescue divers) out of 476 passengers]], [[TearJerker including 250 students from the same school]] ([[AdultsAreUseless who the crew could have helped to safety]] [[EpicFail because the disaster happened at daytime]]). The Sewol disaster also saw the infamous "missing seven hours", during which then-President of South Korea Park Geun-Hye was uncontactable while the ship was sinking in real time. Because of the lack of information, various rumours spread along the lines of this trope, including the president receiving plastic surgery, having a love affair with a married man, or even taking part in a cultist ritual.[[note]]The revelations of her connections with Choi Soon-Sil didn't help the last one.[[/note]] [[http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180329000933 The latest theories]] say that she may have been ''sleeping'' during this time[[note]]Park Geun-Hye is known to have suffered from sleeping disorders, and documents have revealed massive purchases of sleeping pills by the presidential office[[/note]].

* So many people during the Black Death died, some people knew that they were likely to get it and die, so what did they do? Party! Similar things are apt to happen during any large-enough scale disaster. This trope, in fact, gave rise to an entire genre of mediaeval art called the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_Macabre Danse Macabre]]'' (or ''[[TheDeadCanDance Totentanz]]'')

* During UsefulNotes/SouthKorea's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_MV_Sewol MV Sewol Disaster,]] caused by a series of DisasterDominoes[[note]]including ignoring regulators' warnings that the ship was top-heavy and thus needed lots of ballast, [[HanlonsRazor making a haphazard sharp turn that in an area infamous for strong currents among other acts of crew incompetence,]] and the aforementioned disobedience of the regulators leading to the ship capsizing when making said sharp turn)[[/note]] witnesses testified that the crew, [[KarmicDeath of which many didn't survive]], [[ItsAllAboutMe were all "relaxing themselves"]] [[http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-ferry-crew-idUSKBN0GY08E20140903 drinking beer while waiting to be rescued.]] The surviving crew members then claimed that they were expecting that [[BystanderSyndrome it was the Coast Guard's job]] to rescue the passengers, and [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome this attitude led to]] the [[WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife deaths of 295 (not including 2 rescue divers) out of 476 passengers]], [[TearJerker including 250 students from the same school]] ([[AdultsAreUseless who the crew could have helped to safety]] [[EpicFail because the disaster happened at daytime]]). The Sewol disaster also saw the infamous "missing seven hours", during which then-President of South Korea Park Geun-Hye was uncontactable while the ship was sinking in real time. Because of the lack of information, various rumours spread along the lines of this trope, including the president receiving plastic surgery, having a love affair with a married man, or even taking part in a cultist ritual[[note]]the revelations of her connections with Choi Soon-Sil didn't help the last one[[/note]]. [[http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180329000933 The latest theories]] say that she may have been ''sleeping'' during this time[[note]]Park Geun-Hye is known to have suffered from sleeping disorders, and documents have revealed massive purchases of sleeping pills by the presidential office[[/note]].

* English soldier [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill Jack Churchill]] started playing his pipe while waiting for the Germans to capture him. Since he is also the guy who fought with bow, arrow and a claymore (the sword, not the anti-personnel mine) in ''UsefulNotes/WorldWarII'', we shouldn't be surprised.

* During the terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria on November 2, 2020, the Wiener Philharmoniker [[https://twitter.com/BarbaraLovett4/status/1323423142623268865 gave an encore]] to terrified patrons sheltering in the Vienna State Opera against the shooter with police guards.

* The Disney version of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'' has an almost literal version of this; "while Paris burns" to be precise. Frollo threatens to burn down all of Paris and manages to burn down a considerable portion of it, but while Quasimodo and the gargoyles are looking out at the fire, they're discussing (and eventually singing about) whether or not Quasimodo might have a chance with Esmeralda after all.
-->'''Hugo''': Paris, the city of lovers, is glowing this evening. True, that's because it's on fire but still, there's l'amour.

* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus'', The Tallest's words are of premature and stubbornly placed celebration as they fly headlong into the Florpus hole, dooming their entire race and them for presumably eternity.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': While Vale descends into chaos, Cinder Fall and Mercury Black are watching and taping the whole thing. Emerald seems at least regretful but Mercury and Cinder are enjoying it.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Played straight in ''Manga/OnePiece''. Sabo hears a rumor that the slums of his city will burn from a planned arson fire and thousands of citizens will burn. Sabo decides to go around the upper-class area of the city to investigate. He sees that the rich nobles are calm and happy, so concludes that the fire won't be happening, until the nobles calmly mention it. Sabo is confused, wondering why no one is in a panic like he is. He talks with a wealthy elder, who confirms that the slums will burn and people will die, but the nobles don't care. In fact, some nobles want the poor to die because 'they don't deserve to live if they aren't rich'. The old man actually warns Sabo NOT to save the citizens.

** In ''[[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion Rebuild 2.22]]'', in the end, while [[spoiler:Shinji is causing Near-Third Impact]], Kaji and Mari just take it easy while everyone else is scared out of their minds. Later, at the end of ''Rebuild 3.33'', [[spoiler:Mari is sitting around in Unit-08's entry plug, drinking tea while Unit-13 is causing the ''Fourth Impact''!]]

* Happens in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'': as fragments of Junius Seven bombard the Earth and massive destruction is being shown, Lacus Clyne sings a gentle song to calm some kids in her shelter, also providing epic SoundtrackDissonance.

%%* ''Anime/SoundOfTheSky''. You just found out that your superior officer, whom you held hostage at gunpoint after he found an enemy soldier you were sheltering, has escaped and plans to assault your fortress in ten minutes to execute said soldier in a big display so the ongoing peace talks are ruined. What to do? Think it over a cup of tea and cake. (Explain who is the character engaging in this.)

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'':
** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive President]] [[StarterVillain Shinra]] looks calmly out of his window at the destruction of a whole sector of the city, a Haydn piece playing in the background.
** When the giant monster known as Weapon fires on Midgar, [[DragonAscendant Rufus Shinra]] just stands and watches the energy beams heading right for the Shinra building before they blow out the entire floor he's on in a massive firestorm. He does duck at the last second. Somehow, that seems to have helped him, since [[DeathIsCheap he got better]].
* In ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'', the world is thirteen days away from being destroyed by PrimordialChaos. The leader of the last major city in the world hosts a continuous celebration to encourage everyone to have fun and live up their final moments since there's no stopping the comming end.
* In the ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' expansion ''Shadowbringers'', the nation of Eulmore was once at the forefront on the First in fighting the [[AngelicAbomination sin eaters]] so what's left of the world can try and carve out a future. But when Vauthry took power and showed the mysterious power to ''control'' the sin eaters to keep people safe, they gave up the fight. Now the rich and prosperous flock to Eulmore to indulge in hedonistic luxury while calmly waiting for the world to come to a complete end, to enjoy today rather than futilely fight for a tomorrow that will never be.

* In the third ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' game, Larry Butz sees a bridge burning, and instead of running for help, he sketches the scene. [[TheDitz Larry's like that]].

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'':
** After finally reuniting Anju and Kafei and obtaining the Couple's Mask, they remain in their room while encouraging Link to seek refuge, apparently aware and accepting of the fact that the moon is about to crash into the town.

** On the eve of the final day, the good ending for the Romani/Cremia sidequests has the two sisters tending to their cow. Romani seems oblivious to the danger of the moon, but Creamia ignores mentioning it in front of her sister and handles their impending doom with calm acceptance.
** In South Clock Town, the carpenters will continue to build their scaffolding even as the moon comes closer and closer. Tragically subverted on the third night, as all of the carpenters except the boss flee the city, leaving the boss to scream in disgust. If the player speaks to him as Deku Link, he apologizes for being unable to finish work and wishes he could make the moon go away.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. When [[TheEmperor Emperor Gestahl]] ([[ISurrenderSuckers pretends to]]) repent for the evil he's done and pledges to restore peace, balance, and harmony, he [[NoMrBondIExpectYouToDine invites the heroes to dine]] at a truly lush and expensive banquet. Meanwhile, his Empire is in ruins, his soldiers are restless and skittish, his people are dying, and ''his capital is burning to the ground.''
* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar 3'': [[spoiler:All of the government officials and "important" scientists went to Azura, an island that has very lavish buildings the likes of which aren't seen anywhere else on [[DeathWorld Sera]]. The soldiers, on the other hand, are forced to fight in a {{Hopeless|War}} ForeverWar against the Locust]]. When [[TheSquad Delta Squad]] finds out, they're suitably disgusted.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' -- yet another display of [[ArtificialStupidity dwarven stupidity]]. When civilian alerts are called in zones, usually due to hazardous ''[[EverythingTryingToKillYou anything]]'', they will still wander over to grab a drink, or take a break in a rock garden or waterfall, while their fellow dwarves are dying [[LudicrousGibs splattery limb-flinging deaths]] to murderous abominations. In later updates, they will cancel tasks that take them outside the safe zone... but they won't go back into the safe zone, just mill around outside randomly self-assigning and canceling tasks because they're outside and [[TooDumbToLive too dumb to go inside]].

* At the end of ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor: Allied Assault'', there are alot of guards still hanging around while Fort Schmerzen burns [[CollapsingLair and collapses]].

* This is how the Kinstone subquests can come across, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap''. Monsters to defeat? Dungeons to explore? Not now, there are Kinstones to be fused! Link can even do one with the King, as ''Zelda is frozen as a statue and Vaati is on the loose'', and all the King says is "You want to fuse Kinstones at a grave time like this? Very well!"

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* The Disney version of ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' has an almost literal version of this; "while Paris burns" to be precise. Frollo threatens to burn down all of Paris and manages to burn down a considerable portion of it, but while Quasimodo and the gargoyles are looking out at the fire, they're discussing (and eventually singing about) whether or not Quasimodo might have a chance with Esmeralda after all.

* The Disney version of ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' has an almost literal version of this; "while Paris burns" to be precise. Frollo threatens to burn down all of Paris and manages to burn down a considerable portion of it, but while Quasimodo and the gargoyles are looking out at the fire, they're discussing (and eventually singing about) whether or not Quasimodo might have a chance with Esmeralda after all.
-->'''Hugo''': Paris, the city of lovers, is glowing this evening. True, that's because it's on fire but still, there's l'amour.

* [[FunnyBackgroundEvent It's small and easy to miss]], but in ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons'', [[CreepyChild Lizzy]] can be seen smiling evilly as she watches the chaos that ensues when Lewis's invention malfunctions.

They're still reading a book, listening to music, [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife browsing this site]], whatever. Maybe [[ApatheticCitizens they just don't care]]. Perhaps they [[DancinInTheRuins approve of what's going on]], or even [[BigBad masterminded it]] and are letting their EvilPlan come to fruition. On the other hand, maybe they figure that if they're going to die, they might as well [[FaceDeathWithDignity go out with quiet dignity]] rather than in a panic or with RageAgainstTheHeavens. If combined with DissonantSerenity it might have heroic or [[TheStoic stoic]] overtones.

* During the terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria on November 2, 2020, the Wiener Philharmoniker [[https://twitter.com/BarbaraLovett4/status/1323423142623268865 gave an ''encore'']] to terrified patrons sheltering in the Vienna State Opera against the shooter with police guards.

* In ''Anime/HighlanderTheSearchForVengeance'', Marcus does this a LOT.

* ''Film/{{Metropolis}}'':

* Referenced [[spoiler:by Whiterose]] in the post-credits sequence of the first season of ''Series/MrRobot''.

The trope is named after Roman Emperor UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}, who is purported to have been singing and playing his lyre (not what we call the "fiddle" despite PopCulturalOsmosis) while Rome was ravaged by a massive fire (though there are no detailed accounts of the fire from contemporary historians, thus there is debate about how true that is), and as such implies an authority [[IgnoredExpert ignoring the pleas]] [[CassandraTruth of its subjects]], or simply not caring enough, although it has broadened to mean simply carrying on as normal when the whole world falls to pieces around you.

[[quoteright:300:[[Film/QuoVadis https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_nero_fiddling.jpg]]]]