If you tried to condense Matt Groening’s vast universe into a few words, all you’d end up with is alcohol, lack of concentration and stupidity. That’s what all of his series that America’s busiest prankster has created since the 80s are about. Both “The Simpsons” and “Futurama” (which takes place in the future) as well as the steampunk elf fantasy series “Disenchantment” are actually all about failure.
His work is probably the most comprehensive and wise portrait of morals of modern times: no trend was missed, no topic that hasn’t already been touched upon, and every joke, no matter how outlandish, has found its place. The authors’ predictive power is also almost uncanny: from the smartwatch, to debates about how naked works of art can be, to the election of Donald Trump as US President – Matt Groening’s bizarre world was very often overtaken by reality.
Reason enough to list the 50 best words of wisdom from his three series on Matt Groening’s 70th birthday:
Homer, Simpsons, Problem Solver
Elfo, Disenchantment, doesn’t want to live like that
Bender, Futurama, insightful
Homer, Simpsons, about full commitment
Matt Groening, creator of it all
Mr. Burns, Simpsons, spills trade secrets
Agnes – not everything used to be better – Skinner, Simpsons
Homer, Simpsons, about priorities
Bender, Futurama, has a future
Homer, Simpsons, Nutritionist
Homer, Simpsons, Mathegenie
Princess Bean, Disenchantment, determined
Matt Groening, forward looking
Bart, Simpsons, doubts gender fluidity
Homer, Simpsons, is ahead of its time
Grounded: Princess Bean, Disenchantment
Seymour Skinner, Simpsons, on modern pedagogy
Homer, Simpsons, on Marx’s teachings
Class Fighter Bart, Simpsons
Bart, Simpsons, was apparently never in Germany
Homer, Simpsons, employment lawyer
Bart, Simpsons, anticipates influencers
Homer, The Simpsons, Career Advisor
Also an educator: police chief Clarence Wiggum, Simpsons
Concentrator Bart, Simpsons
Homer, Simpsons, about tying the knot
Ralph Wiggum, Simpsons
Jury, Simpsons
Homer, Simpsons, self-sacrificing
Mr. Burns, Simpsons, Erbe
Rod Flanders, Simpsons, on dress codes
Barney Gumble, Simpsons, is optimistic
Bart, Simpsons, prevented surgeon
Matt Groening, father
Homer, Simpsons on plant-based nutrition
Cool Bart, Simpsons
Princess Bean, Disenchantment, ready to learn
Homer, Simpsons, about self-knowledge
Bender, Futurama, pessimistic
Bart, Simpsons, about physics
Homer, Simpsons, confident
Bart, Simpsons, no mother
Null emphatisch: Luci, Disenchantment
Homer, Simpsons, insightful
Stylishly impress with Mayor Quimby, Simpsons
Homer, Simpsons, Economist
Bart, Simpsons, gives it his all
Homer, Simpsons, about faith
King through and through: Zøg, Disenchantment
Bart, Homer and Lisa, Simpsons, singing
