- Candorville: It's implied Clyde's general irresponsibility and immaturity are his way of coping with having long since crossed this after growing up in poverty and a broken home.Clyde: C-Dog don't never dream 'cause dreamin' just make real life worse, Big L. Let's say I dream I can stand on a corner or walk across the street without some cop bothering me. Then when I wake up, no matter where I go, there some cop lookin' out his car window at me, just waiting for a reason to "put me in my place." If I don't dream the world can be better, then I ain't never disappointed.
Lemont: I know what you mean. Last night, I dreamed you weren't so depressing.
- Played for Laughs in the RiffTrax of Twilight. Two girls are having a discussion in the high school's cafeteria, when one mentions, "We're talking Olympic sized." Mike Nelson is right on top of it, chiming in, "High school girls discussing wang sizes. We have officially hit rock bottom, gentlemen."
- And in the 'Trax for The Star Wars Holiday Special, while watching Harvey Korman debase himself in a miserably unfunny sketch, Mike sighs and says, "Well, Nietzsche was right; dead as a doornail."
- The Doomer
meme centers around someone who, after constant exposure to hardship, personal or otherwise, plunges into a deep depression, giving up on a world they feel there is no hope for, and isolating themselves from society.
- The Adventure Zone: Balance: After regaining the memories of his deceased twin sister, Taako is absolutely crushed. He points the Umbrastaff at Lucretia, and starts counting backwards from ten. After Merle and Lucretia managed to talk him down, he walks off.Taako: (quietly) Y'know, honestly... do whatever you want. I don't care anymore.
[...]
Magnus: Taako, listen. I know this is tough, but... you found her. Maybe not how you expected to, but when you weren't looking, you found her! That's the connection, that's how strong your connection is to Lup. She's still helping you, you're still working together! And she wouldn't want you to give up.
Taako: (flatly) I appreciate what you're trying to do. And I'm on board for whatever the plan is. But understand this: I have nothing, and I don't give a shit. The world is ending, and I. Don't. Care.
- Bret Hart's heel turn and reformation of the Hart Foundation was largely based on his growing disapproval of America's failing family values in the wake of Steve Austin's new wave of popularity. It got worse when Shawn Michaels and Triple H formed D-Generation X.
- Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs took each other down all because of Lacey. Aries persuaded Lacey to leave her boyfriend and the Age of the Fall, only to have Jacobs lose even more of his mind and take Lacey out of ROH for good. The real damage to Aries was done after he won the feud with Jimmy Jacobs and moved on to Age of the Fall Lieutenant Tyler Black. The fans began to get behind Black after a series of matches against Nigel McGuinness and Bryan Danielson to the point where some of them began to boo A-Double.
- In Christianity, Despair is one of the original Seven Deadly Sins, being later replaced by the sin of Sloth. In Eastern Orthodox denominations, it is counted as the 8th Deadly Sin, but it is still present in Roman Catholic theology and others, simply considered to fall under the category of Sloth (or simply as a lesser sin). Despair is defined as the loss of faith or hope (ie. in goodness, in God etc.), and thus is more about giving into nihilism or cynicism (esp. as an excuse to stop being good or to ignore evil) rather than simply feeling sad or depressed about anything in particular; it is counted as Sloth because it is considered to be the sin of "giving up", and its corresponding virtue is (respectively) Hope or Diligence.
Roleplay
- In Realms of Hyrule, this was crossed by almost everyone in Hyrule when Kakariko was revived and Prince Regent Logain was killed trying to defend it.
- From Der Glockner Von Notre Dame, the German Darker and Edgier Musical Adaption of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo shuts down and cuts ties with all of his perceived hopes of the world and the rest of humanity after being tricked by Frollo into revealing the location of the court of Miracles, which lead to the capture of his only true friend, Esmeralda, and Phoebus, a man he has come to admire, in the song Made of Stone.Quasimodo: "And now I'm on my own
Never Again to Wonder what's out there
Let it remain unknown
And my one human eye
Will evermore be dry
Until the day I die
As if I
Were made of Stone"- In the American production as well, as Esmeralda awaits her excecution in a small prison cell. After being hunted, captured, manhandled, nearly raped, and sentenced to death by burning, she breaks down completely in "Someday-" Phoebus sings an entire verse by himself because she's crying, curled into a ball on the ground.
- And again when Esmeralda dies. Phoebus tries to lift her into his arms, but can't, and breaks down sobbing into her stomach.
- This however leads to a sweet moment, as Quasimodo realizes that life must go on and places a comforting hand on Phoebus' shoulder, and lifts Esmeralda for him, therefore, while not negating their despair, but allowing them to work through it, and accept one another's friendship.
- While it isn't strictly called for in the libretto of Pagliacci, it is a generally accepted tradition for Canio to collapse into tears at the end of Vesti la giubba. The song is about him trying to convince himself to go on with a show where he plays a cuckold immediately after finding out he actually is a cuckold, and as it goes on, it becomes clear he just can't do it.
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: When Sweeney realizes he accidentally slit the throat of his wife, who he thought was dead, he's so despondent that he loses the will to live. Some productions even play this up by having him bare his throat so Toby can slit it.
