“Nietzsche is pietzsche, but Sartre is smatre.”
To which, Homer Simpson famously replied:
“Oh yeah? Well Scooby-Doo can doo-doo, but Jimmy Carter is smarter.”
A phrase clearly intended to highlight the somewhat diminutive intelligence of Homer Simpson, but let’s really take an in depth look at what is being said here. I’ll pick apart Sherman’s statement first.
Friedrich Nietzsche was a 19th century German philosopher who advocated nihilism, a philosophical school of thought that dictates that all life is devoid of meaning and purpose. In many of his works, Nietzsche famously lamented that “God is dead” a statement which he said encompassed the loss of religion in European society, and therefore destroyed any meaning, value, and objective truth to be found within. After going mad from syphilis and suffering three separate strokes, Nietzsche died at the age of 56, alone, and crazy. So, was Nietzsche really all that “peachy?” I think not.
Conversely, Jean-Paul Sartre was a 20th century playwright and philosopher who was the driving force behind the existentialist movement. Existentialism, basically promotes the idea that it is the responsibility of the individual to determine exactly what the gives their own life meaning, and thus fulfill that meaning. Existentialism certainly had a profound effect on the world of philosophy, but Sartre can hardly be given all the credit, other philosophers including Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and even Nietzsche himself.
Sartre was great and all, but really, smarter than Nietzsche? I don’t think I can philosophically agree. Nietzsche’s thoughts were so profound that his work can be identified as one of the main causes behind World War II. All Sartre’s work ever did was influence the movie Blade Runner. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blade Runner just as much as the next person, but it hasn’t really shaped the world as we know it today.
In 1969, Hanna-Barbera Productions premiered its latest cartoon as part of the CBS Saturday morning carton line-up, entitled “Scooby Doo, Where Are you!” The show featured a cast of four human characters who travelled alongside a talking dog named Scooby Doo. In addition to somehow being able to speak and comprehend the English language, Scooby Doo also enjoyed eating a wide assortment of human foods alongside his best friend Shaggy, and had a knack for accidentally catching the villain in each episode and solving the mystery. Despite his questionable character aspects, one thing is clear. Scooby Doo is biologically a canine, and therefore must, as his biology dictates, “doo-doo,” despite said action never being seen on the show.
Lastly, Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States who served between the years of 1977 and 1981. During his presidency, Carter took on several key issues including the energy crisis, gay rights, and worked to improve relations between the United States and the USSR. Carter would later go on to receive a Nobel Peace Price in 2002. While Carter was seen for many years after his presidency as one of the most famously unpopular presidents, he is currently experiencing a slight resurgence of fame.
So, was Jimmy Carter on of the greatest presidents of all time? No, I wouldn’t say so. Is he smarter than an animated dog who runs away at the slightest thing and managed to mess up each and every one of Fred, Daphne and Velma’s well laid traps in every single episode of every show he has been in for the past 30 years? Yes, I would like to think so.
The takeaway from all of this? If ever you run into a stupid artsy prick who actually feels the need to express this clearly false sentiment; feel free to inform them that Nietzsche really isn’t all that pietzsche, and Sartre ain’t smatre; however, truly Scooby Doo can doo-doo, and Jimmy Carter is smarter.
My sentiments exactly.
No comments:
Post a Comment