Simpsons turn Muslim
Saw on SBS world news last night that the Simpsons are having a make over to better appeal to a Muslim audience. Apparently to try and attract the younger generation and creat more positive feelings between Islam and America.
Now that almost sounds like properganda to me and the fact that it's aimed towards young people doesn't help- if I was in their situation I think I'd be upset. But when you think of it, the Simpsons generally take the piss out of American/ western culture anyway so I'm not sure how they expect the show to be a positive impact.
In a subject at uni we looked at Terrorism a bit and one theory suggests that terrorists are reacting against humiliation and whats needed is respect on both sides and forgiveness. If this is correct then I don't really see how sending a revised version of the Simpsons is really going to help.
That, and a Homer who doesn't drink beer or eat pork just isn't the Homer we all love. The show is so American that I don't think change a few things is going to help an Islamic culture relate to Homer and the other characters. They might as well leave Homer the way he is and allow another culture to laugh at him and our culture as much as we do.
Now that almost sounds like properganda to me and the fact that it's aimed towards young people doesn't help- if I was in their situation I think I'd be upset. But when you think of it, the Simpsons generally take the piss out of American/ western culture anyway so I'm not sure how they expect the show to be a positive impact.
In a subject at uni we looked at Terrorism a bit and one theory suggests that terrorists are reacting against humiliation and whats needed is respect on both sides and forgiveness. If this is correct then I don't really see how sending a revised version of the Simpsons is really going to help.
That, and a Homer who doesn't drink beer or eat pork just isn't the Homer we all love. The show is so American that I don't think change a few things is going to help an Islamic culture relate to Homer and the other characters. They might as well leave Homer the way he is and allow another culture to laugh at him and our culture as much as we do.
posted by Mim @ 3:51 PM
2 Comments:
At 9:40 AM,
waynemus said…
But Mim, what is american culture, there is a specific culture within Islam,although some countries diverge on many parts. But truly can one say that they are living the american way, purely because their gluttoness. Or are there greater ideals behind it. Or is the american way purely a facade which works its deception over the young purely working to mould the children of tomorrow into what the parents of today want them to be. Anyway a cartoon attempting to connecting with others than its own,I greatly encourage it. Tolerance all the way.
At 1:46 PM,
Mim said…
Well I think the Simpsons through it's diff characters shows many different sides of 'American Culture' and religions (of which Muslim is not one) and takes certain issues and ideals in the different episodes and, with use of exageration, turns it into comedy by highlighting the good and bad.
As for parents moulding children- good luck with that idea- if anything the children are likely to rebel- not sure I'm clear where your coming from on this one and what you mean by 'the American way'.
I was more saying that the Simpsons is very American in it's used of things like their national anthem and Baseball etc. rather than social ideals- although they are having to change Homer to fit Islamic social ideals.
As a Simpsons fan in my Aussie life I think it's a great idea but I also think that if I was an Islamic parent and saw my kids relating to Bart and Homer I could see reason to be upset.
America assuming that by changing a few things Islam will relate to their culture and increase tolerance- and when does tolerance switch to globalisation.
I think a lot of the intolerance towards American is from the Humilating feeling of being taken over by their ideals and brands (mcas, nike, Simpsons) so sending another import will not increase tolerance. and aiming it at youth- but if anything would work it's probably is the simpsons which is not afraid to (and usually over most childrens heads) go there into contorversal issues.
So i don't know- like the idea but cynical me is not sure it will do much good!
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