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Anime and Manga
"What is wrong with the adults in my life? I might as well go steal a motorcycle."
— Nagasumi Michishio, My Bride is a Mermaid
Fan Works
Knight Owl: Don't you have some adults in charge? Some kind of mentor? Anything?
Pegasus: We had one but he retired. He was somewhat helpful while he was around.
Honeybee: Not really. Kinda said "here's some Magic Jewelry, go nuts!", then tried to make sure we didn't communicate at all in the name of secrecy.
Chat Noir: It's true but you shouldn't say it.
Pegasus: We had one but he retired. He was somewhat helpful while he was around.
Honeybee: Not really. Kinda said "here's some Magic Jewelry, go nuts!", then tried to make sure we didn't communicate at all in the name of secrecy.
Chat Noir: It's true but you shouldn't say it.
Film — Live-Action
Principal Latimer: He's getting special attention all right Mrs. Murray. His presence is causing a problem with the students. Frankly, Tommy scares the piss out of them. And they act out. They push him. They call him names. They tease him. Constantly.
Sonia Murray: Why don't you just tell them to stop teasing him, to stop pushing him, to stop calling him all kinds of names. Have you ever thought of just telling them to stop it?
Latimer: No. No I haven't. Um, I'm - I'll try that. I'll just speak to the kids. I'll just - I'll just tell them directly. That's a good suggestion. I'm going to try that.
Sonia Murray: Why don't you just tell them to stop teasing him, to stop pushing him, to stop calling him all kinds of names. Have you ever thought of just telling them to stop it?
Latimer: No. No I haven't. Um, I'm - I'll try that. I'll just speak to the kids. I'll just - I'll just tell them directly. That's a good suggestion. I'm going to try that.
"No one learns anything in class. That's why we have the Internet."
— Melanie, The Babysitter (2017)
Literature
"Mr. Poe meant well. But a jar of mustard could also mean well and would be far better at taking care of the Baudelaires than him."
Live-Action TV
Dustin Henderson: Is Mike home?
Ted Wheeler: No.
Dustin: No? Well where the hell is he?
Ted: Karen, where's our son?
Karen Wheeler: Will's!
Ted: Will's.
Dustin: No one's picking up there. Nancy? What about Nancy?
Ted: Karen, where's Nancy?
Karen: (annoyed grunt) Ally's!
Ted: Ally's. Our children don't live here anymore, you didn't know that?
Dustin: Seriously?
Ted: Am I done here?
Dustin: Son of a bitch. You know, you're really no help at all, you know that? (leaves)
Ted: Hey, language!
Ted Wheeler: No.
Dustin: No? Well where the hell is he?
Ted: Karen, where's our son?
Karen Wheeler: Will's!
Ted: Will's.
Dustin: No one's picking up there. Nancy? What about Nancy?
Ted: Karen, where's Nancy?
Karen: (annoyed grunt) Ally's!
Ted: Ally's. Our children don't live here anymore, you didn't know that?
Dustin: Seriously?
Ted: Am I done here?
Dustin: Son of a bitch. You know, you're really no help at all, you know that? (leaves)
Ted: Hey, language!
— Stranger Things, "Dig Dug"
"Our son with a girl? *Ha* I mean, believe me, if he had a girl sleeping in this house we'd know about it. Wouldn't we?"
— Ted Wheeler, Stranger Things
Theatre
"This is their big secret, Veronica. The adults are powerless."
— Heather Chandler, Heathers
The adults - DOC, SHRANK, KRUPKE, and GLAD HAND - stand alone, useless.
— Stage directions from West Side Story
Video Games
Mitsuru: By the way, Mr. Ekoda... All this time, you've attributed Yamagishi's absences to "illness." But in reality, she was missing. You must have been aware of that... What was your intention?
Mr. Ekoda: I was thinking of the students, of course. You children may not understand, but we have to consider the future of everyone affected.
Mitsuru: You mean, you chose not to report this to the police for the "good of the class."
Mr. Ekoda: It, it was in her best interest. I wouldn't want her records to be stained by something like this. Her parents agree!
Mitsuru: So to protect your career, you ignored your responsibility as a teacher... How despicable...!
Mr. Ekoda: *gasp* I-I didn't... I was just...
Mr. Ekoda: I was thinking of the students, of course. You children may not understand, but we have to consider the future of everyone affected.
Mitsuru: You mean, you chose not to report this to the police for the "good of the class."
Mr. Ekoda: It, it was in her best interest. I wouldn't want her records to be stained by something like this. Her parents agree!
Mitsuru: So to protect your career, you ignored your responsibility as a teacher... How despicable...!
Mr. Ekoda: *gasp* I-I didn't... I was just...
Webcomics
Harley: You think we should tell a teacher what happened or something?
Bud: I doubt that'd do much. They want to make sure we keep coming to their school, so they almost never do anything besides chastise girls for bad behavior.
Bud: I doubt that'd do much. They want to make sure we keep coming to their school, so they almost never do anything besides chastise girls for bad behavior.
Web Original
"Society, parents and schools do not teach children the skills of physical, psychological, emotional and verbal self-defence. This is because most adults don't know how to do this."
"As children, we're fed the idea that adults have it all figured out. That somehow, the day we turn 18 our questions about existence will cease, we'll have an epiphany on our life's purpose, and we'll never need to give it another thought. How cruel an awakening to discover that, not only do adults not have it figured out, but they're also the ones setting the dumpster fires."
— Marissa Wu, "Gen Z Is Suddenly Very Obsessed with Wes Anderson—But Why?
"
""Remember, this is a kid's movie and if you are not a kid in a kid's movie, then you suffer from the dreaded "GROWN-UPS ARE IDIOTS" disease."
— Erod sums up this trope in this sentence during his The Little Vampire review
Western Animation
[Laughing at an office full of amazingly inept employees]
Gumball: You know what's really funny about this?
Darwin: These guys are fully-grown adults!
Gumball: They're in charge! Of, like, everything! They drive cars!
Darwin: They vote!
Gumball: They're responsible for the planet!
[Their jaws drop and they stare at each other in horror]
Gumball: You know what's really funny about this?
Darwin: These guys are fully-grown adults!
Gumball: They're in charge! Of, like, everything! They drive cars!
Darwin: They vote!
Gumball: They're responsible for the planet!
[Their jaws drop and they stare at each other in horror]
"Care to explain how our security was penetrated by a child?"
— Captain Black, Jackie Chan Adventures
Willow: We should have just kept a low profile. Boscha could get away with murder if she wanted to.
Principal Bump: What's this? Boscha got away with murder? I can't say I approve, but at least she's trying new things.
Principal Bump: What's this? Boscha got away with murder? I can't say I approve, but at least she's trying new things.
Lisa: Mom! You gotta help us, they're cooking kids in the school cafeteria!
Marge: Kids, you're eight and ten years old now. You can't expect me to fight all your battles for you.
Bart: But mom-
Marge: No "buts"! You go right back to that school, look them straight in the eye and say "don't eat me"!
Bart & Lisa: Okay...
Marge: Kids, you're eight and ten years old now. You can't expect me to fight all your battles for you.
Bart: But mom-
Marge: No "buts"! You go right back to that school, look them straight in the eye and say "don't eat me"!
Bart & Lisa: Okay...
"I know our parents have done some stupid crap before, but Jesus Christ."
Miscellaneous
"Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them."
"Don't trust anyone over 30."
— Jack Weinberg, 1960s student activist
, 1960s student activist