fspinelli

The tension between individual freedom and a human desire to be kept safe is a never-ending one. But even Plato’s desire to have the wisest decide for all society can only lead to tyranny. Democracy is messy and chaotic and often feels like there’s never a satisfactory (or finite) answer. But what’s the alternative? To have a fallible human being decide for us and, in the end, consolidate that authority by turning to the Dark Side?

Older Simpsons’ episodes used humor in service of the story rather than as an end in itself. Example: “Lisa’s Substitute” (Season 2). Lisa has a crush on her substitute teacher who, unlike the rest of the teachers, is not cynical and nurtures her talents. But of course Homer embarrasses her in front of him and she is devastated, calling him “a baboon.” Homer’s response: “She called me a baboon. The stupidest, ugliest, smelliest ape of them all!” The joke works because it’s emotionally honest, and because, how does Homer know that about baboons? The joke was well-considered and didn’t try to stand on its own. That, I think, is what the later episodes are missing.

It may be important to make a distinction between “actual historical truth” (does such a thing even exist?) and the “spirit of the truth.” Case in point: “Hidden Figures.” When Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) rails at her boss (Kevin Costner) for having to endure a slew of indignities–including being forced to use separate bathrooms and even a separate coffee pot–the audience cheers, and the room full of white engineers is silenced. It’s a great moment dramatically, and it certainly illustrates in real terms the kinds of obstacles that African Americans were forced to put up with. But did it really happen? Does it matter? Whether or not the real Katherine Johnson blew up in her boss’ face is less important, as far as I’m concerned, than whether the movie captures the spirit of the time. It is, after all, a movie and not a history class.