Homer's Triple Bypass - S4-E11
Question: Bart and Lisa say they don't feel highs and lows because their generation watches MTV. Can someone explain more?
raywest
19th Oct 2023
The Simpsons (1989)
Answer: They probably mean that MTV has little to do with real life, and viewers became numbed and emotionally detached from reality by watching the contrived idealized images almost non-stop. It prevents them developing empathetic feelings toward others in their lives.
This episode aired Dec 1992, and given that it took 6-9 months to produce an episode, the writing took place early or mid 1992. MTV's first reality show, "The Real World", didn't air until May 1992. "Road Rules", MTV's 2nd reality TV show didn't air until 1995.
But that's all equally applicable to watching endless music videos, shortening attention spans. The fear is/was that constant "input" like that would slightly numb people to the real world, with exciting music/images being the only thing that generates an emotional response, in comparison to the more "boring" real world.
8th Dec 2021
The Simpsons (1989)
Question: What does Reverend Lovejoy mean when he says that he stopped caring, but nobody noticed because "it was the '80s"?
Answer: The 80s was known as the, "Me Generation," meaning people were so greedy, ambitious, and self-involved with only themselves, money, and material possession, that they were oblivious to or unconcerned about anyone else. A popular mantra of the time was "greed is good." Lovejoy is saying that no-one noticed how he felt because they were indifferent and uncaring.
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Answer: I think Lisa and Bart are actually referring to Generation X and early Millennials. People of these ages are also known as "the MTV Generation." They dealt with the political, social, and economic issues that were happening in the '80s and '90s. Many were also "latchkey kids" who had to be independent from an early age. They are known for being apathetic or even cynical, after growing up the way they did.