Simpsons And Philosophy

Simpson's and Philosophy

In the chapter Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad, Mark T. Conard shows us why people believe Bart Simpson is similar to a philosophical theorist named Friedrich Nietzsche. Bart being the bad boy of the Simpson's and Nietzsche being the bad boy of Philosophy. Conard says that Bart does not take on the chaos like Nietzsche says but he is just an empty being of bad actions. This argument is ridiculous; Bart Simpson is as creative as creative gets.

In this chapter, Conard is first shows us how people consider Bart as Nietzsche like character because he does not try to change the world of chaos and confusion but he accepts it and makes art out of his life. Nietzsche views also point out that living a life like Lisa's is pointless because through all her hard work nothing ever changes. Bart on the other hand accepts the bad and goes with it, creating his own evil plan episode to episode. Towards the end of this chapter Conard tells us that Bart is not Nietzsche's prodigy but simply just a meaningless bad kid who lacks a creative spirit and has no real artistic behavior.

Nietzsche says that there is no real "good or bad", that the Nobles created these ideas because they were a meek society. They coined everything like them "good" and everything else was "bad". At this point the nobles were not trying to condemn anyone they were just distinguishing others from themselves. This "good and bad" way of thinking quickly became good vs. evil. Nietzsche says that living a do-good life is a meaningless one, the world is filled with chaos and confusion and to try to overcome this type of world with noble-like actions and thinking is pointless. Nietzsche argues that is a more meaningful life for those who do not conform themselves with this rally to change the world, but to accept the chaos and to make an artistic life out of it. Bart Simpson is exactly that, he not only does not conform to the "good-doers" like Lisa but he takes the chaos to a whole different level. Bart Simpson is an artist in his own way by terrorizing Springfield and more importantly his father, Homer Simpson with his new and creative ways of evil.

Philosophers like Socrates and Kant were plagued by Nietzsche saying that they are out of touch with the world and that their belief of changing the world with thought is preposterous. Nietzsche is not just a philosopher who believes in evil doing, he more likely considers himself an anti-conformist. He believes that changing the world is a pointless crusade and anyone who hops on the wagon is leading a pointless life. He does not celebrate evil through bad actions but he celebrates a life that accepts the world it lives in. Bart Simpson is very similar, he does not just do bad things for attention but he does them for a deeper meaning. This is the life that Bart knows and the world he accepts, he does not feel the need to change himself to conform to society. Being the rebel is what Bart is and so was Nietzsche. Most people would say that people like Nietzsche and Bart do what they do because they are crying out for attention. I am here to tell you that they are not crying out for attention but crying out for acceptance in a world that they hold the best grasp of. Of course the attention is something that Nietzsche and Bart thrive on it is not the only reason for living their non-conformist life.

Our world, even as portrayed in a cartoon like The Simpson's, is filled with evil and misdoing. To try and change the world is a noble thing to do but as pointless as trying to teach kindergarten class astrophysics. People like Bart and Nietzsche are worried that when they are gone they will not be remembered. This is a major fear in their lives because the main reason one lives a life they live is to be remembered. To be the person who took life by the horns and rode it, not fought it. Anyone can go on fighting the "good fight" and trying to change the world but how many people can actually accomplish that. Some say people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. have changed the world for the better but in all reality the moment they die so does their cause. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for a better life for African-Americans and that is exactly what happened. But do you think that King wanted African-Americans to be represented the way they are today in our world. African-American males are killing each other off in record numbers; this is so far from what King was trying to... The enemy is no longer the southern bigot but the enemy is the man in the mirror. I am not trying to say that Gandhi and King lead pointless lives all I am saying is that the world is filled with bad and no matter how much good you do once you stop preaching the bad comes back That is exactly the way that Bart and Nietzsche think they are worried about living a pointless life so they go with all the bad in the world and run with it. They want their actions to artistically bring out what the world is really made up of.

On the other hand of Bart is his sister Lisa. Lisa lives the conformist life; trying to change the world with her music and preaching to everyone, especially Bart, about their wrong doing. Sometimes you almost think that Lisa should not even be a Simpson but rather be a part of the Flanders family. During the show Lisa does many noble things like trying get Mr. Burns to stop his greed, or conform Bart but in the end everyone goes back to who they are and Lisa chalks it up as another loss. This is the kind of life that Nietzsche tried to steer people away from he tried to show us that living this conformist life trying to follow suit and be a good person is a waste of precious life. Rebellion is a more accepted way of life because it involves originality. Conard argues that Bart is not original or artistic. Yet in every episode Bart pulls a new trick or gag on someone