Why The Simpsons' lack of male role models is a good thing

The Washington Post

"By and large, the men of Springfield are lazy and incompetent," says Luke Sharrett, pointing out that "no male resident of Springfield is quite as contemptible as Homer Simpson. He is a paragon of foolishness, incompetence and arrogance. He is unenlightened about his children’s friends, hobbies and emotional needs. He is either ignorant or, worse, apathetic about the stress that his antics place on his long-suffering, anxiety-riddled, blue-haired wife, Marge. He is brash and boorish, selfish and stupid. Frustratingly, he never seems to learn the lessons that his costly mistakes stand to teach him. And he avoids at all costs the three things that would help him become an effective father and husband: responsibility, leadership and hard work." Sharrett adds: "On the surface, the high jinks of America’s favorite animated family seem to send a clear message: Father knows worst. Yet the more I think about show’s lack of male role models, the more I think that having a vision of masculinity to run from can be just as helpful as having one to aim toward. The frailty of Springfield’s men is made obvious in the absurd. Each time the men of The Simpsons grace our television sets is an opportunity to ask ourselves: For the sake of my wife, my children, my community and myself, what kind of man am I going to be?"