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| - Basically, the trope is (in the first instance) about attitudes commonly felt/displayed e.g. by vampires and related monsters, and those who actually know them (including their enemies) towards Vampire Wannabes, Big Bads towards aspiring big bads (perhaps especially the Big Bad Wannabe), real heroes towards Heroic Wannabes - you get the drift. Also has a number of Real Life and less fantastic counterparts, not least because of the (minor) distinctions differentiating those who would admit (if reluctantly) that yes, We ARE Struggling Together!. See also Never Be a Hero.
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| abstract
| - Basically, the trope is (in the first instance) about attitudes commonly felt/displayed e.g. by vampires and related monsters, and those who actually know them (including their enemies) towards Vampire Wannabes, Big Bads towards aspiring big bads (perhaps especially the Big Bad Wannabe), real heroes towards Heroic Wannabes - you get the drift. Also has a number of Real Life and less fantastic counterparts, not least because of the (minor) distinctions differentiating those who would admit (if reluctantly) that yes, We ARE Struggling Together!. The contempt can vary from amused to outraged, and express itself in anything from shrugging and snarking through more serious annoyance to termination with extreme prejudice. It is not, however, incompatible with using the wannabe as The Renfield, or treating a group of wannabes as "useful idiots", minions, or Cannon Fodder. It can be justified (or not) according to a number of different variables, such as whether the wannabe(s) actually stand any chance (by nature or nurture) of achieving their Wannabe goals, whether it would actually make them happy (or cool) if they did (cf. Be Careful What You Wish For, I Hate You, Vampire Dad, Super Loser), and whether there is something... questionable about their reasons for wannabeing it in the first place (e.g. white middle class suburbanite kids pretending to be gangsta rappers, or claiming to be "spiritually" Native American). Accordingly, the trope divides along two main paths depending on whether... 1.
* The disser is or has a reasonable case for being "The Real Deal", whether or not the Real Deal has a case for being worthy of respect in their own right, e.g. even if you think that Vampires are kind of silly, Vampire Wannabes are worse. 2.
* The disser actually has a reasonable case (or not) for being acquainted with the Real Deal, and (whether or not in favour of it generally) has a case (or at least think they do) for knowing the fake from the real in the relevant domain, cf. Buffy's disdain for Lestat wannabes. For example, it's the difference between A) a real Vampire dissing a Vampire Wannabe and B) Lloyd Bentsen dissing Dan Quayle for not being JFK. (And that, for the record, is before we get into the genuine desirability of being either a Vampire or JFK, obviously) Not uncommon (where self-aware) in those on the receiving end of in-universe Fan Dumb and Misaimed Fandom, let alone in-universe versions of Draco in Leather Pants delusions. Also not uncommon, conversely, by despisers of both, whether for or against the relevant misapprehensions. Bonus points if the wannabe uses phrases like "I want to be like you!" or "But I really do understand!" or "I totally am X!" See also Never Be a Hero. Please keep Real Life examples light on Flame Bait. Examples of Pretender Diss include:
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