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The Simpsons as Free Liberal Mythology?

I’ll try not to give TOO much away for those who’ve yet to see The Simpson’s: The Movie. But while a farce, aspects of the film fit nicely into a Free Liberal point of view.

First, Homer – the ultimate self-centered narcissistic consumer – realizes that he has contributed in a big way to an environmental calamity. It’s such calamity that the government is planning to take an action that will jeopardize the very existence of Springfield. Homer has fled the scene, yet his conscience impels him to do the right thing, even though it appears that the “right thing” will be dangerous for him.

Indeed, Homer realizes that by helping others, he will help himself in most important ways. This notion may be unsettling to atomistic freedomistas, who tend to point to Gordon Gekko (“Greed, for lack of a better term, is good”) from the film Wall Street as their creed. At a higher level of inquiry, however, Homer is confronted with a similar choice to that of Neo/Mr. Anderson in The Matrix, played by Keanu Reeves. Homer’s journey is all the more fateful, of course, because unlike Neo, Homer directly contributed to Springfield’s plight.

Second, government is shown in The Simpson’s: The Movie to be poor doctors of a dysfunctional situation. Doctors are taught to “first do no harm,” yet government actors attempt to overreact to a threat in a most Draconian manner. Maggie Simpson has the better idea of attempting to persuade fellow Springfielders to take action before a calamity ensues. (Maggie’s chart does look a bit like Al Gore’s in An Inconvenient Truth and is perhaps a bit alarmist, but she advocates in the appropriate direction.) The Feds, however, have a better idea, one that is hard to conclude is anything but a “cure” that is far worse than the disease.

Being restricted from giving away too much, I recommend this film to all. Not only is the mythology instructive, but the Simpson’s producers have an uncanny and seemingly bottomless ability to make us laugh.

-Robert Capozzi

Posted by Robert Capozzi on August 13, 2007 09:12 AM |

Free-for-all (frfr-ôl) -- n. A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates.

from Dictionary.com



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