Dark Is Not Evil/Real Life

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Negative feelings like sorrow and grief are something you don't want to feel, but they are often signs that you are an empathetic person, as if you didn't feel sadness after a loved one died, you'd probably be considered a sociopath.
  • Death is usually associated with darkness, yet sometimes it's just an ineluctable part of everyone's life-cycle that allows new babies to live.
  • Nighttime itself. There's a long list of reasons why, but the biggest is that without it, the sun would have raised Earth's temperature to that of Venus billions of years ago, preventing life from evolving. And it wouldn't take too long for it to happen if night vanished today, either.
    • Sleep as well. Without it, anyone would soon die by exhaustion.
    • Or ask any astronomer, be professional or amateur.
  • Black is actually only associated with death in modern western iconography. Historically, White and Red have been the colours of death, due to the association with bones and blood respectively, while many cultures still see Black as the colour of life, due to the richness of dark soils.
  • Goths out there really aren't - pardon the lazy joke - after your blood. Even the ones in fetish gear. There was a Dear Abby column a while back where a reader wrote in apparently very surprised after seeing a group of teenage goths helping a homeless man, with the implication that, firstly, teenagers doing good was out of the ordinary, and second, that most goth people can be assumed to be undiluted evil with hearts as black as tar - but not these!
    • In the same vein, punks. Just because someone has twin mohawks and is covered from head to toe in spikes and tattoos doesn't mean they won't help an old lady cross the street or give up their seats for an elderly couple on a bus. On top of that, Straight Edge might be the most notable of this trope in real life.
    • Also, people who practice Wicca and/or Paganism. A very common first-reaction out of people who find out someone does this is to be afraid of them, thinking they're a "dark sorcerer" or something, hate God, want to curse them, a lot of stuff like that. But in reality, they're just regular people following a religion, like anyone else. Besides, some branches of Paganism explicitly forbid practice of "dark magic" or intentionally hurting others.

An it harm none, do what ye will. -The Wiccan Rede

  • Dark matter and dark energy are not as evil and sinister as they sound. In fact, they're just neutral cosmological entities labeled "dark" because dark matter does not interact with light, and because nobody knows what dark energy actually is (other than the obvious effect of expanding the universe, its actual composition or origin is unknown).
    • However, they might be responsible for ultimately destroying the universe.
      • ...and helping to create it to begin with. Without dark matter galaxies wouldn't have been able to form, and the whole universe would be just a misty, tepid gas.
      • Not to mention that the destruction caused by either two is probably a much better fate than heat death.
  • The shadow cabinet isn't evil - or at least, not any more than other politicians. (Though it does make the news much funnier when you imagine the Shadow Ministers as anime villains.)
  • When Trent Reznor bought a mansion in the Garden District, many of the proper society ladies of the community feared 3am industrial jam sessions and orgies on their front lawns. When Reznor moved in, he became a very supportive member of the community group and endeared himself to the little old ladies of the area. He's also friends with Tori Amos.
  • This section isn't complete without the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash.
  • The neurotransmitter melatonin is known as the "darkness hormone" because it's production within the body is inhibited by light, so it can only be produced at night in darkness. It has a vast amount of uses within the body, mainly dealing with establishing your Circadian Rhythm, protecting the body against cancer and radiation, and regulating blood sugar and metabolism. Many scientists say that all the extra light that humans are now exposed to after sunset have had a significant effect on our production of melatonin, which is especially noticeable in people who work night and/or rotating shifts. Meaning that you should turn off all those lights you aren't using if you don't want to get cancer or diabetes.
  • Dave Mustaine mentioned that most people are shocked to learn that the lead singer for a band called Megadeth is also the coordinator of a charity that distributes Christmas presents to homeless children.
  • Black cats. Their spooky, fiend-like appearance has given them a terrible reputation throughout the entire world, and associated them with evil, witchcraft and bad luck. The poor things were regularly killed in witch hunts. Ironically, historians believe the killing of cats for superstitious reasons led the rat population to rise out of control, contributing to the spread of the Black Plague, which itself is an aversion of this trope.
    • It's a shame. Because of these associations black cats don't get adopted as often as other colored cats but they are just as loveable and you never lose them in the snow!
    • It's still not uncommon for black cats to get killed on Halloween by the overly superstitious who stumble across them.
    • The sad thing is that in a lot of cultures - including Irish, Scottish, and Japanese - black cats are a good thing to see on your doorstep, as they represent prosperity: cuddly, cuddly prosperity.
  • Similarly, black dogs (especially large ones) are harder to adopt because of they look "scarier" than lighter-colored dogs.
    • In fact, there is an entire veterinary/animal shelter phenomenon concerning how darker-colored dog and cat breeds take a much longer time to get adopted than lighter-colored breeds. It is aptly referred to as, "Black-dog/cat bias."
  • And of course, black people are no more or less evil than anyone else.
  • Homeless people. Many of them are actually very nice and pleasant people, despite being portrayed as dirty tricksters or Crazy Homeless People in media.
  • Bats. Most species are fairly harmless towards people and only one is after your blood; the worst they can do is transmit rabies, but considering that there's more people infected by rabies by dogs or raccoons than by bats (specially considering they don't bite unless threatened; given a choice they'd fly away) they still pose no direct threat to people. Sadly, like other gloomy looking animals they end up receiving little sympathy from people.
    • In Australia, substitute 'Lyssa and Hendra virus' for rabies. There are frequent howls for them to be culled, despite the fact that these viruses kill relatively few people each year.
      • Interestingly, the Chinese consider bats as a token for luck. This has to do with the last character of their Cantonese name, fok, sounding the same as the character for blessing, fok.
  • Black as a surname is fairly common, and often used in fiction for characters that are rather grey in morality. Aside from the obvious English surname Black, there is also the Irish surnames Dowd/O'Dowd, McDowell and O'Duffy/Duffy, all derived from the gaelic word for black ('dubh'). Though some with these surnames in real life are undoubtedly villainous, many others are not.
    • The Irish forename Ciaran (Kieran) means 'little dark one'.
  • Classical gargoyles, such as the ones adorning Notre Dame and other gothic churches, were made as terrifying as possible to ward off evil spirits. Much like Disney's Gargoyles and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, they're only trying to protect us.
    • Maybe. On the other hand, they may symbolize the evil spirits who are excluded from the Church. Without an affadvait from the mediaeval builders, it's difficult to know what exact symbolism the gargoyles were meant to carry. (Their real original function, of course, was as waterspouts.)
  • The "Black Pope" is not a new movie starring Martin Lawrence but a derogatory term coined in Protestant European polities during the 16th Century refering to Superior General of the Society of Jesus. While very likely considered evil by those who coined the term in the first place, the so-called Black Popes were only as bad as their own personal failings (which varied from Superior General to Superior General just like behavior varies from person to person).
  • The Black Star. Originally, it was name of Marcus Garvey's boat and later the sea line he tried to start. Later it became the symbol of African emancipation and is still on the flag of Ghana—hence the Fan Nickname of the Ghana national football team: the Black Stars.
    • And then it was the name of a ship in Babylon 5.
  • Owls. Despite their scary appearence, they are no worse than any other predatory bird, and are aggressive for perfectly understandable reasons, like defending their nests.
  • As anyone who's been to a jazz club or casino's lounge will tell you, sometimes a darker setting helps to alleviate tensions.
  • Squid ink as a food. It's used in sauces for pasta and pizza in Japan, Italy and Spain. It may sound like Foreign Queasine, and it stains everything black, but everyone who's tried it has found it delicious.
  • Sharks. They're actually better in many ways than more appealing looking creatures like lions and dolphins, who have a tendency for sadism. Sharks, on the other hand, are merely normal predators, but receive more crap from people than creatures that deserve it more, simply because they look scarier.
  • Skunks are black colored and many people think of them as dirty, stinky animals. However, they only smell if they spray and they try not to if they can help it. On top of that, mother skunks are very protective of their children and good mothers. Descented skunks also make very good pets according to those who keep them (though some people actually do keep 'fully armed' skunks, just are more careful of them).
  • SWAT teams. They carry big guns, cover their faces, and (sometimes) wear black uniforms. Their job: save your life, and take down the bad guys. The same goes for military forces that can be seen wearing a lot of black, like special forces. Granted, part of the reason for wearing the scary black uniforms is that they're scary, intimidation being a force multiplier for such groups.
    • The general rule amongst most SWAT teams is that if anyone dies—including the suspect, no matter how Axe Crazy they may be—they have failed. SWAT is a life saving organization, not a life taking one.
  • Crows. They're often portrayed as scavengers who eat crops and bring nasty things such as death and disease, but in reality, they're no more evil than any other bird. They eat several insects that would otherwise damage crops.
    • Funnily enough, several cultures have actually associated corvids with the Sun, most notably in regards to Amaterasu and her symbol Yatagarasu. So their western view as "evil" is largely an unfortunate coincidence.
      • The Yatagarasu is actually possibly from Egyptian mythology. At any rate, it is found throughout Asia and North Africa, though its specific associations vary.
    • On a less funny note, a group of Crows is called a "Murder". They have not been known, despite what Alfred Hitchcock wants you to think, up and ravage whole towns. And, for those who can't tell a crow and a raven apart, a group of ravens is called an "Unpleasantness".
    • Crows and ravens are so nice, they seem to mourn the dead. They have sometimes been seen gathering 'round dead ones, as if gathering for a funeral or a wake, to pay respects.
  • While the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden have put out some morbid -even gruesome- songs in their time (and their Mascot's a zombie-thing) the band members themselves are actually known for being pretty good guys in person- at least, they've managed to avoid falling victim to a lot of the problems facing many other rockers, such as drug (or people) abuse.
  • The traditional preacher outfit of a black robe.
  • Heraldric symbols for many nations and military units often make use of dark or aggressive imagery. Skulls-and-crossbones and other death imagery are not uncommon for military units (especially in British and American naval services in a Shout-Out to the Jolly Roger of pirate ships, but also unfortunately the Totenkopf that was once used by many European hussar cavalry regiments, but in which case thanks to appropriation by the Nazi SS, Dark Is Evil). Many nations are symbolically represented by predatory or otherwise frightening beasts: birds of prey, big cats, bears, even dragons. The intent is usually to say "Don't Mess With Us."
  • The official color of the US Army Chaplain Corps is black. They are the only branch which uses black as its color. They are also not allowed to carry weapons at any time, and rely on an armed assistant for protection as they run around and provide spiritual services on the battlefield.
  • Ever see a black ice cream truck? They, like their brighter coloured counterparts, are to deliver ice cream to eager children, nothing else.
    • About ice cream trucks: there's another reason why you would almost never see a dark or black truck: They try to cool their ice in there, and they will not choose a car that heats up a lot faster than a light-coloured or white one.
  • Coffee. Few things are more glorious, and obviously virtuous than coffee!
    • Unless you drink too much of it.
      • Then it's even MORE GLORIOUS - except for everyone around you.
  • Speaking of drinking, many black beers like Guiness.
  • Schwarze Industries. The German word for black is in this company, which doubles the scary. What do you suppose they make? Assault rifles? Tanks? The viral agent that will bring about the impending Zombie Apocalypse?! Nah. They make street sweepers and their accessories. No, not automatic shotguns. Street sweepers that clean up streets.
  • MythBusters' Tips for growing the perfect garden: your plants prefer Heavy Metal.
  • Bacteria. Ew gross right? But inside your body their lives good bacteria which helps you not only digest food but also fight off bad bacteria.
  • Some percentuals of Badass Bikers are known to be Gentle Giants, animal lovers and poems writers.
  • Shade. Especially on a hot day.
  • Autistic people are often said to "lack empathy" and as a result get associated with sociopaths, however there is no evidence for autistic people somehow being more prone to violence or crime (studies on this topic have come up with anything ranging from a reduced prevalence of delinquency to an insignificant increase).
    • That "lack of empathy" in ASD is a complex thing. Some autistics don't seem to actually lack empathy at all, instead their body language just fails to show it. Others are unable to read facial expressions due to a comorbid condition called prosopagnosia or face blindness, which can result in a lack of response to an obvious emotional signal. Yet others have a normally developed empathy but fail to realize when they are subconsciously responding to another's feelings due to a condition called alexithymia ("blindness" to one's own emotions). Sensory processing issues can also come into the way of emotion processing, as when a flickering light prevents someone from concentrating on other peoples' faces and gestures.
    • Anyway, the type of empathy which tends to be impaired in ASD is called "cognitive empathy" or "Theory of mind" and means the automatic processing of another's emotional state (aka "seeing" another's feelings). This is different from sociopaths who have an impaired "affective empathy", which means an appropriate emotional response to a perceived emotional state in another (aka "feeling with" another).
    • Bonus points for those on the high end of the spectrum who often learn to superficially mask their social difficulties through practice, which basically means acting and pretending a lot. This can get noticed by others and cause a creepy sense of dishonesty when the "Aspie" is just trying to fit in.
    • On the other hand, there are studies indicating that autistic people - particularly females - are quite often the victims of various forms of cruelty thanks to their dysfunctional "social radar", which can cause them to trust and mistrust the wrong people. (In that case a lack of outward emotionality can cause additional harm by reducing the chances of getting sympathy and help when needed.)
  • Similarly, many people with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are far from the Insane Equals Violent stereotype people typically have in mind, especially when they are successfully taking medication against it. Many of them appear and behave quite "normal" as long as they are not having an acute psychotic break, and even when one is coming there are usually warning signs beforehand.
    • What is often more debilitating in the long run than psychotic breaks are the so-called 'negative symptoms' which usually develop slowly and lead to things like inability to make decisions, inability to express feelings, muddled thoughts, loss of social motivation, and inability to experience pleasure. (And unlike acute psychosis, they are typically not very responsive to medication.) However, these symptoms rarely lead to dangerous behaviors, instead leading to the individual becoming passive and withdrawn - and in the worst case, needing 24-7 care.
  • Aye-ayes. Their somewhat creepy appearance and their nocturnal activity have resulted in them being seen as evil demons in some of the cultures of Madagascar, often causing people to kill them unprovoked. However, they aren't any more dangerous to humans than any other lemur, and certainly won't hurt you as long as you leave them alone.
  • And when we're already at creepy-looking but harmless animals, most species of spiders qualify: in many cases where the spider even has venom or any means to harm a human, their venom is ineffective and/or they can't penetrate human skin; if they can, they don't inject venom as they reserve it for their prey. (There are obviously exceptions to this, but these are really the minority, given that many species are just a few millimeters large.) Even most venomous spiders will only bite you if you're really threatening their life, e.g. by crushing them by accident.
  • Atheists. Their lack of faith in god(s) on average doesn't make them less moral or reliable than others. Whether they have a Freudian Excuse for their lack of faith, they just lack sufficient imagination, or they have come to this opinion through logic and science (or by any other way), usually atheists still have a sense of morality and of good and bad.
    • Some atheists even argue that not being part of a religion would make them better humans. Of course, Your Mileage May Vary on that, but there are indeed many examples in history of religious people who became Knights Templar or Jerkasses Hiding Behind Religion. On the other hand, some of the worst tyrants in history were atheists (or at least propagated an atheist worldview outwardly), so it's probably a fair game.
    • The majority of atheists are actually quite tolerant of other people's religious believes or lack thereof. At least in the western world.
    • Not to mention, being an atheist doesn't necessarily equate to being The Spock. There are even some spiritual gurus out there who are atheists, defying If Jesus, Then Aliens.
  • Minor chords and dissonant chords in music. An isolated minor chord sounds dull, sad and apathetic; dissonant chords often sound tense, creepy, aggressive, unstable or outright horrible. But without either of them music sounds rather boring. Interestingly, minor chords actually make up the lion's share of some melodies that sound rather happy, while there are sad melodies mostly, or exclusively, made out of major chords.
  • The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster; whether this is truly a religion or not is up for debate, but regardless, perceiving God as am Eldritch Abomination made of pasta is kind of creepy. Still, Pastifarians (as they call themselves) have noble goals, such as rejecting conformity (the whole reason the group was founded) opposing the spread of carbon emissions, halting global warming, and supporting equality among genders, races, and ethnic groups.
  • The Satanic Temple; they claim to worship The Devil (as a metaphor), but their stated goals include promoting egalitarianism, social justice, and the separation of church and state, while to "generate attention and prompt people to reevaluate fears and perceptions", and "highlight religious hypocrisy and encroachment on religious freedom."
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