I’ve watched ‘The Simpsons’ cartoon since their inception and have never been fazed about their misleading depictions of nuclear power. Interestingly enough, others may have. Here’s what a philosophy professor says about the show:
Dr. Bill Irwin, a philosophy professor at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., says Homer - the bumbling main character in The Simpsons who works at a nuclear power plant - has perhaps helped to put a negative spin on nuclear power by doing such things on the show as trying to stop a meltdown by randomly pressing buttons on a console.
He also points out that the owner of the nuclear power plant in The Simpsons, Mr. Burns, is portrayed as a cold-hearted, greedy industrialist. But the show's most intelligent character, Homer's daughter, Lisa, is portrayed as a staunch environmental advocate.
"She's very eco-friendly and very much against nuclear power and the nuclear power plant run by Mr. Burns," Irwin said during a recent interview on a Saskatchewan radio talk show.
Probably the reason why I’m not fazed about The Simpson's depictions is because I’ve seen them put a negative spin on other technologies such as wind. This episode between Itchy and Scratchy comes to mind.
It’s tough for me to say if they’ve negatively impacted perceptions of nuclear power. I would have to say no but check out the survey at the top right to tell us your answer.
Comments
There was an episode of the Simpsons where the whole town was cut off in a bubble of some sort, I seem to remember. Good job they had nuclear power on that occasion. :-)
That said, the Rabelaisian funhouse world created in that cartoon may have done a lot to blunt irrational fear of nuclear power. After all, other than three-eyed fish that appear pretty content, there are never any serious consequences to the various nuclear "accidents" in The Simpsons. In fact, for better or worse, the attitude of the characters toward nuclear power is pretty blase (Lisa being the exception, perhaps).
I suppose one could plausibly suggest that the show actually pokes fun at nuclear hysteria, but we are in the realm of symbolism and irony here, both of which depend heavily on public perception for their basis in "consensus interpretation," so I probably wouldn't attempt such an argument myself.
Joffan,
The bubble is from the Simpsons Movie.
The show was in its initial season when I graduated from college and began working at the Savannah River Site (I've since moved on). Those were the days of the Bart Simpson T-shirts, etc. Remember those?
I've had no problem embracing Homer as a comedic icon, a sort of mascot of our industry.
I now have two sons (young teen and pre-teen) who love the Simpsons and know the value of nuclear power. I'm not saying everyone is as perceptive as these boys, but that this is one of those issues likely to generate a lot more heat and noise than light and forward motion.
I don't see why "The Simpsons" has never been able to show hippies waving antinuke placards for TV cameras, the cameras being turned off, and the "hippies" then pulling off their hippie masks and revealing themselves to be J.R. Ewing; black limousines turning up to collect them.
(How fire can be domesticated)
For example, the beef and cattle industry sued Oprah Winfrey for her statements that she would not eat another hamburger. Though I believe the beef industry was in the wrong, nonetheless it shows a certain tenacity to protect their industry.
Rather than going after the Simpsons show like the beef industry went after Oprah, why not attempt to recruit them for a pro-nuclear energy spot? No doubt that would be a long-shot, but it would probably make a very memorable tv commercial.