Did anyone watch the Simpsons today?

[Brown Eyed Mystic]

BART is not intended to be a positive role model. Bart is an allegory of the nature of all mankind. He is an exploration of the duality of good and evil and a lesson that good triumphs. He is constantly struggling with temptation and having to deal with the consequences of his sinful tendencies. It's actually quite Christian in its nature. He always (and by extention we) learn(s) a valuable life lesson, although it's rarely spelled out "I learned something today" South Park style.

So when Bart does something bad, regrets it and spends the rest of the show making amends you don't feel the implied lesson? There is often an implied moral to the story. It's not spelled out like in South Park episodes, but it's there.

Tend to agree with what's said here. Most of it. The whole show revolves around different personas of people, just like it happens in real life families. There's much more to each member of the family, different subtle shades in the ways, the good and the bad, but eventually the Simpsons do tend to relate to "good of all the Simpson family members" philosophy. There's a lesson in every show. That's how I'd look at it. And, they are funny, darn funny. That's like a bonus to me

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by SmartAlx

So when Bart does something bad, regrets it and spends the rest of the show making amends you don't feel the implied lesson? There is often an implied moral to the story.

Shakespeare's Macbeth murders King Duncan, gets into trouble and is very remorseful too.

As with most other Shakespearean works, it's a nice, intricate story with its own moral lessons and explorations of human nature.

But that doesn't make Macbeth a positive role model nor a symbol of wholesome family values.

[carenkh]

Originally Posted by marinik

Sorry but I do not see that in life, on the contrary, in my string of reality the Simpsons are the absolute opposite from my life experience.

This is "lapsus mentis" if you ask me. I can't see positive family values in Simsons just because I believe in them.

I'm saying, in regards to the Simpsons, you see greed, donuts and irresponsibility - I see love, laughter, and acceptance. And donuts, which in my string of reality are WONDROUS orbs of sugary yumminess!! What you focus on, is what you see.

[JSB]

I used to love The Simpsons 10 or 15 years ago. I watched the show again recently and thought it was pretty bad. The writing seemed to have gone way downhill -- none of the subtleties and cleverness I remember. It looked like any other (unfunny) sitcom, but with cartoons. Bummer.

[Desmond]

We've gotten a little off topic here. My question is, does anyone think that The Answer in the Simpsons has anything to do with The Secret?
Does anybody suspect that the authors were making a direct reference to The Secret when writing the episode?
I know that a lot of the writers on The Simpsons are Taoist, so does Taoism have anything to do with the Law of Attraction?

[SmartAlx]

Sorry about the hijack. Yes I think it's pretty clear that the writers were referencing The Secret. They didn't really seem to know much about it though. Not too much myticism to The Answer. Just good strategy and common sense.

I don't know no nothing bout no Taoism so I'll leave that for someone else to answer.

[Acting Like Godot]

Real-life Bart Simpson:

Falcon Heene

I am not the only one who noted the resemblance to Bart Simpson:

Tower Ticker: Balloon Boy hysteria: As always, 'The Simpsons' did it first

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Desmond

I know that a lot of the writers on The Simpsons are Taoist, so does Taoism have anything to do with the Law of Attraction?

Yes, of course. For example, "wu wei" is a fundamental principle of Taoism, which matches up very beautifully with LOA concepts.

Here is a link that explains wu wei -

Taoism - The Wu-Wei Principle - Part 4

One quick excerpt:

A key principle in realizing our oneness with the Tao is that of wu-wei, or "non-doing." Wu-wei refers to behavior that arises from a sense of oneself as connected to others and to one's environment. It is not motivated by a sense of separateness. It is action that is spontaneous and effortless. At the same time it is not to be considered inertia, laziness, or mere passivity. Rather, it is the experience of going with the grain or swimming with the current.

Sounds familiar? Here's how the above translates into modern LOA lingo:

subjective reality; take responsibility for everything that happens; inspired action; going with the flow; non-resistance.