The Simpsons Satire Analysis

It is evident that The Simpsons parodies a variety of everyday encounters faced by an individual. Almost no one nor is anything safe from the writers of The Simpsons and their mockeries. That said The Simpsons indeed has a deeper message aside from the idiocies that the show presents as comedy. The Simpsons consists of intricate ideas that combine to create a show that acts as a satire for American culture.

The Simpsons acts as a satire for American society by poking fun at current trends and pop culture. Carl Matheson defines this phenomenon as Quotationalism. Matheson quotes: “Comedy has never completely foregone the pleasure of using pop culture as a straight man” (Matheson 288). Quotionalism is a vital technique used by the writers of

The Simpsons to relate current trends to their show. These current trends define the present day culture in America that creates the society we live in. The Simpsons’ use of quotationalism shows that the show does not only consist of mindless comedy. In fact the show uses complex techniques to humor an audience while having an underlying theme that reprimands the notion of todays culture.
Similarly, Matheson states: “…comedy has always relied upon the joys to be derived from making fun of others” (Matheson 291). In his assertion Matheson is indicating the presence of hyper-irony in The Simpsons. He does this by using the definition of hyper-irony to explain the composition of comedy. Although quotationalism and hyper-irony go hand-in-hand, the use of yet another complicated technique to communicate information through comedy shows that there are many layers to the meanings behind the “jokes” presented in The Simpsons.
Another huge phenomenon discussed by Carl Matheson includes the crisis of authority. In his article Matheson claims that certain writers, philosophers, and scientists degrade other writings, and ideas, which results in a crisis of authority. Matheson also claims that The Simpsons creates a similar situation when the writers degrade historical events (Matheson 294). Matheson exclaims: “Hence, one may think that quotationalism is a natural offshoot of the crisis” (Matheson 284). Putting The Simpsons on a pedestal that claims it has an ability to influence the thought process of society and pop culture inversely aids in further invalidating the thought of it being an illustration of “mindless comedy.”
If The Simpsons really consisted purely of stupid jokes and arbitrary thoughts, then there would be no question of the show encompassing complex techniques or having a negative influence on society. The ability to link an episode from The Simpsons to several worldwide issues, popular themes in culture, or historical events proves that it cannot just be another senseless show. Like Matheson states: “When the target-shooting slows down for a wholesome message or a heart-warming family moment, the program slows to an embarrassing crawl with nary a quiver from the laugh-meter” (Matheson 298). Along with humorous instances, the show strives to provide some sort of message, whether it is an issue that the show believes should be addressed, or a heartwarming life lesson.
The Simpsons is composed of different ideas and techniques that enable it to become a satirical complement for American culture. Carl Matheson aids in supporting this assertion by providing examples of methods inputted by the series. Matheson affirmed the use of hyper-irony, quotationalism, and the crisis of authority. These three very complex practices indicate the complexity of the humor enlisted in The Simpsons. In a sense there really is no such thing as mindless comedy: there is some sort of underlying message or innuendo throughout all platforms of comedy, and The Simpsons is no exception.