Bart Simpson: Prince of Irreverence

In "Bart Simpson: Prince of Irreverence", Douglas Rushkoff takes a look at how a show like The Simpsons is more than what it seems. It would appear that Rushkoff has followed along the same lines with his title. Rushkoff does not believe that Bart Simpson is simply irreverent, rather, "Bart embodies youth culture's ironic distance from media its willingness to disassemble and resplice even the most sacred cultural and ideological constructs" (Rushkoff 245). In other words, Bart is disrespectful, but it isn't without reason-he's the voice of a very prominent culture. Rushkoff explains this by saying that Bart can easily be written to take a current event in society and change it or point out its flaws (Rushkoff 245), which often engages the audience and satisfies a growing societal trend towards being skeptical. Furthermore, the writers of The Simpsons often use the show to demonstrate the various biases we are bombarded with on a daily basis. This approach is especially evident in the episode in which Bart creates Timmy O'Toole. In short the episode is about the age-old warning tale of "crying wolf"; however the spin in the story is that the media is criticized for not taking interest when the story is actually true (Rushkoff 251). The arena of advertising is also another common target for the show. In an episode mimicking the Super bowl it becomes clear that companies, especially the beer companies capitalize on the event (Rushkoff 249). Rushkoff believes that as The Simpsons sends out messages showing how people can be manipulated that they will become more aware that; they will be able to watch something or see an advertisement and really look at it critically- questioning its intentions and the quality of the information. The Simpsons is a great example of how some Television shows are diverting from the typical path of hypnotizing their viewers and are instead embracing dialogue that helps society become more cynical of television today.

If Rushkoff read Antonio Peacocke's article, "Family Guy and Freud", he would agree with her that Family Guy does try to show the flaws in the media and society but he would disagree that they go about it in the same way. He would say that The Simpsons is more sophisticated and subtle in pointing out taboos in society. Family Guy may attempt to convey the same ideas, but it does so in a more blatant and, often times, more vulgar way. Family Guy is a much more aggressive show that can sometimes send the wrong message. Often, the show has run into problems crossing the line. Rushkoff would also argue that The Simpsons is a far more layered format that enables it to be viewed and enjoyed by people of all ages on many different levels.

If Rushkoff were to read Dana Stevens' article "Thinking Outside the Idiot Box", he would agree that watching television shows probably doesn't make you smarter; however they may make you more aware. Such shows may not make you more intelligent in the sense of common knowledge but they give you some tools to think beyond what you are watching to see the message that the writers are trying to send. He would also agree that there are many shows out there that do nothing to benefit the viewer except entertain them in a hypnotic fashion. He would say that shows like The Simpsons are still created for pleasure but they can also yield more than just time to relax.

Works Cited

Peacocke, Antonio. “Family Guy and Freud” Comp. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with Readings. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. 182. Print.

Rushkoff, Douglas. “Bart Simpson: Prince of Irreverence” Comp. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with Readings. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. 182. Print.

Stevens, Dana. “Thinking Outside the Idiot Box” Comp. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with Readings. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. 182. Print.