Gung-Holier Than Thou: Difference between revisions

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"It's your gung-holier-than-thou attitude."

—Trapper John to Col. Flagg, M*A*S*H

Any military setting is bound to have at least one person who is Gung-Holier Than Thou: a Neidermeyer with little, if any, authority. Typically a non-commissioned officer who likely sleeps with a copy of their force's code of conduct under their pillow. Given their relative lack of authority, anyone who is Gung-Holier Than Thou is merely an annoyance. A temporary annoyance if only visiting, like Col. Flagg. A Gung Holier Than Thou can become too much of an annoyance and end up Reassigned to Antarctica.

A subtrope of the Rules Lawyer.

Examples of Gung-Holier Than Thou include:

Film

Sgt. Maj. Dickerson in Good Morning Vietnam.

"That is humor. I recognize that. I also recognize your brand of soldier."

Sgt. Webster to Recon in Heartbreak Ridge.
Lt Kendrick in A Few Good Men.

"I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant. The Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and the Lord our God."

Live Action TV

Col. Sam Flagg in M*A*S*H, as mentioned.
- Majors Frank Burns and Margaret Houlihan were this as well (although Houlihan relaxed later in the series).
Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{trope}}
-{{quote|''"It's your [[Trope Namer|gung-holier-than-thou]] attitude."''|'''Trapper John''' to '''Col. Flagg''', ''[[MASH|M* A* S* H]]''}}
+{{quote|''"It's your [[Trope Namer|gung-holier-than-thou]] attitude."''|'''Trapper John''' to '''Col. Flagg''', ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|M*A*S*H]]''}}
-Any military setting is bound to have at least one person who is Gung Holier Than Thou: a [[The Neidermeyer|Neidermeyer]] with little, if any, authority. Typically a non-commissioned officer who likely sleeps with a copy of their force's code of conduct under their pillow. Given their relative lack of authority, anyone who is Gung Holier Than Thou is merely an annoyance. A temporary annoyance if only visiting, like Col. Flagg. A Gung Holier Than Thou can become too much of an annoyance and end up [[Reassigned to Antarctica]].
+Any military setting is bound to have at least one person who is [[Gung-Holier Than Thou]]: a [[The Neidermeyer|Neidermeyer]] with little, if any, authority. Typically a non-commissioned officer who likely sleeps with a copy of their force's code of conduct under their pillow. Given their relative lack of authority, anyone who is [[Gung-Holier Than Thou]] is merely an annoyance. A temporary annoyance if only visiting, like Col. Flagg. A Gung Holier Than Thou can become too much of an annoyance and end up [[Reassigned to Antarctica]].
 A subtrope of the [[Rules Lawyer]].
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 ----
 {{examples}}
 == [[Film]] ==
 * Sgt. Maj. Dickerson in ''[[Good Morning Vietnam]]''.
@@ Line 18: / Line 17: @@
 == [[Live Action TV]] ==
-* Col. Sam Flagg in ''[[M*A*S*H (television)]]'', as mentioned.
+* Col. Sam Flagg in ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|M*A*S*H]]'', as mentioned.
 ** Majors Frank Burns and Margaret Houlihan were this as well (although Houlihan relaxed later in the series).
 * Arnold Rimmer in ''[[Red Dwarf]]''.
+{{Needs More Examples}}
 {{reflist}}