Kansas State University Libraries New Prairie Press Adult Education Research Conference 2005 Conference Proceedings (Athens, GA) The Simpsons and Democracy Political Apathy, Popular Culture, and Lifelong Learning as Satire Paul Armstron University of Leeds, United Kingdom Follow this and additional works at: https://newprairiepress.org/aerc Part of the Adult and Continuing Education Administration Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License Recommended Citation Armstron, Paul (2005). "The Simpsons and Democracy Political Apathy, Popular Culture, and Lifelong Learning as Satire," Adult Education Research Conference. https://newprairiepress.org/aerc/2005/ papers/61 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Adult Education Research Conference by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. The Simpsons and Democracy Political Apathy, Popular Culture, and Lifelong Learning as Satire Paul Armstrong University of Leeds, United Kingdom Abstract: In the lead up to the recent presidential election in the USA and the imminent general election in the UK, there has been much discussion around the ‘problem of political apathy’. This paper attempts to analyse the meaning of this in both countries, and consider the sources of people’s political socialisation and development of political literacy, including popular culture. Purpose In an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish," the Simpson family ruins Monty Burns's shot at becoming governor. As Mr. Burns leaves the Simpson home he turns to his majordomo and says, "Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election.