I have to admit that in the parlance of the phrase, “Truth is Stranger Than Fiction,” this past week has been a real wake-up call. Like it or not, it’s time to start watching “The Simpsons” FAR more carefully!!
Yes, as has been reported by loads of sources, we are reminded that it was the Simpsons that predicted a “President Trump.” And this wasn’t a “jump on the Trump-wagon” prediction, but one that came in an episode from the year 2000…SIXTEEN YEARS AGO. Yikes. Now THAT is a true case of “Homer-Damus” that really makes you want to stop and take a closer look at some of the other things that the Simpsons have predicted accurately.
So…let’s do it.
The Trump Presidency is a Big One. But even in this short clip, there are broader questions to ask, and wonder about.
Refilling the Ocean? That sounds ominous. The “balanced breakfast program” creates ultra-stong super criminals? That sounds dangerous!
But, other than the “President Trump” prediction, there isn’t much meat to this.
Then there is THIS ARTICLE (which amazingly doesn’t even mention the Trump Presidency).
I have to admit, there are more than a few of these “predictions” that actually seem like reasonable outcomes of our actions…but a couple of these are pretty amazing.
Mutant tomatoes? OK. Yes. That seems predictable by anyone covering the Monsanto bit. Siegfried and Roy getting attacked by Tigers? Come on. I would have attacked them if I got a chance. Keeping Tigers in Vegas…and poking them with sticks for 4 shows a day is going to bring about a logical conclusion…for sure.
The Rolling Stones on Tour? Really? What else would these guys do? Can you see Mick Jagger doing a talk show? Or becoming a captain of industry? Or Prime Minister of England? OK. Scratch that last one…after this week in America, anything seems possible.
All of this seems pretty “Fluffy.”
But perhaps Prognostication needs the appropriate “Gravitas” to sell the scary side of predicting the future. And THIS VIDEO is loaded with Creepy, Foreboding Delivery…. as well as a bunch of Creepy, Foreboding, Predictions.
Ebola? 9/11? OK. Now you have my attention…
But, again, with the Grease Stealing? This is one that really has lost its edge in country with an oil glut (fracking and daily earthquakes be damned).
But HOLYFREAKINSHIRT!! Again with the prediction of FARMVILLE! (one of the truly greatest disasters to hit mankind in generations). I jest. Mostly. Miley Cyrus and her “Wrecking Ball” video is a FAR greater human disaster!!
OK… So, maybe we really DO have to start paying attention to The Simpsons to help us understand and predict what is coming in the world.
There have been more than a handful of full episodes (as well as a number of THOH episode shorts) that are SET in the Future, or Look Forward… are there Clues to be found HERE???
Certainly, there are enough troubling prognostications to make us forget about the election in THIS EPISODE... Maggy Marries GERALD????????
And speaking of relationships…In all of the “Future Episodes” Lisa never really seems to escape making bad decisions about her choice in men. Even when she seeks the advice of a fortune teller, she is told. “Lisa questions the fortune teller about her “true love” and the fortune teller reveals that although Lisa will have a true love, she “specializes in foretelling relationships where you get jerked around.” And there seem to be no shortage of those. Please Lord. Not Milhouse.
As we ARE coming to the End of the THOH 2016 Event (thankfully), I want to remind you of a THOH episode where Homer goes back in time, but keeps changing the present, with minor actions in the past… as per the WIKI…
“TIME AND PUNISHMENT- Part of THOH (S6E5) which also included “The Shinning” (features randomly in this update) and “Nightmare Cafeteria” (where a “Soylent Green” future is predicted by the lunch lady, with Skinner’s help, starts serving “bad kids” for lunch). Creeeepy!
But it’s the middle section, “Time and Punishment” that is the most intriguing. “While attempting to fix a broken toaster, Homer accidentally turns it into a time machine. It transports him to prehistoric times where he realizes he must be careful not to do anything to change history. After swatting a mosquito, he returns to the present to find a dystopia where Ned Flanders is a dictator of the world. Homer travels back in time again attempting to set things right; however, he accidentally kills a walking fish, and after returning to the present, he finds Bart and Lisa are giants, narrowly avoiding being crushed by them. He then sneezes and infects the dinosaurs with a cold virus while defending himself from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, which proceeds to cause their extinction. He is initially pleased with the results in the present; amongst other perks, the family is now extremely wealthy and Patty and Selma have died, but is horrified upon discovering that donuts do not exist in this timeline and flees, only seconds before donuts begin raining from the sky. In another world, Willie attempts to help Homer, but is again struck in the back with an axe, this time by Maggie. After several more trips back and forth in time, Homer eventually arrives in a reality that appears normal; he finds humans eating with lizard-like tongues, but finally decides that it is “close enough“.
What this points out…is that even if we COULD go back and change the past, do we want to risk the outcome that follows? (and no…I’m not pimping the horrible TV show “Timeless.” That. Is. AWFUL!).
So…let’s just agree that we need to start taking the Simpsons More Seriously as it comes to predicting the future. Is there something that YOU remember about the series….or even the game of TSTO…which should stop and give us pause?
I wouldn’t have given any of this a second thought…until this week. So, put on your thinking caps! LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK may be part of our collective futures…as predicted by the Simpsons or TSTO!
NOTE…for all of you still hoping for political discussion…this isn’t the place. But, you are more than welcome to read my opinions about said election on CrankyOldGuy.com