“I ditched the status quo and gave the characters permission to grow, change, and move on with their lives[.]” With three decades of runtime, The Simpsons firmly implanted itself in pop culture. However, despite all the years it has under its belt, one thing never changed; the characters never aged. This has led fan artists — such as Spikermonster, creator of Those Springfield Kids, a reimagining of Lisa, Bart, and friends as high schoolers — to create their own works envisioning how these iconic characters would grow. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
