The Simpsons predicted the rise of Donald Trump. And 9/11. And the Ebola outbreak. And the mass of the Higgs boson particle. And the outcome of the 2014 Super Bowl. Like donuts, is there anything The Simpsons can’t do (besides end)? According to Dr. John Donaldson, a graduate tutor at the University of Glasgow’s Philosophy Department, yes: the show can’t actually predict the future. Not without the Terminizor’s time machine, at least.
Donaldson is teaching a one-day course called “D’oh! The Simpsons Introduce Philosophy” that will explore “a range of philosophical topics from ethics to political theory, using the animated TV show as a guide.” He told Business Insider that The Simpsons appears to “predict” the future so often because it’s “a show about life. It deals with situations close to our own hearts and touches on themes we see in our day-to-day lives, so it’s unsurprising that some of the things they touch on can become a reality.”
“Coincidences happen,” he said. “The Simpsons set out to make a joke about Donald Trump because it seemed so ridiculous, and it just so happened that political circumstances changed to the point that someone like Trump could become president.” He added that the show — which first aired in 1989 — has been going for so long that parallels between the show and real life are “par for the course.” (Via)
Hopefully, some of the show’s predictions come true, though.
I’ve always wanted to take a beer truck shower.
(Via Business Insider)
