Serious Business

"This is bowling. There are rules."

(Kaiba is about to jump off a castle's battlement)

Yami Yugi: Dude, don't you think you're overreacting a little? I mean, it's just a card game.

Kaiba: Card games are serious business!

—Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series

Serious Business is when a story revolves around an activity where a sizable portion of the in-story population takes it far more seriously than they should. If something's popularity rivals that of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, or Michael Jackson; or if there are mainstream schools devoted to it instead of teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic, it's Serious Business.

It's often a Silly Reason for War, and can turn a casual conversation into a heated Cavemen vs. Astronauts Debate. Frequently "opposed" by the Cavalier Competitor. Compare Stop Having Fun Guys. For the saying that "The Internet Is Serious Business", see GIFT. Related I'm Not Here to Make Friends.

Compare Duels Decide Everything.

Examples: