‘The Simpsons 1s one of the greatest shows of all time > No program will ever leave such a legacy Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor love The Simpsons. We all do. There are very few people who did not grow up watching and enjoying at least a few episodes of that yellow cartoon family. It’s arguably the most popular TV show of all time. Homer and Bart are international icons, instantly recognizable with their odd hairstyles and four fingers. Hardcore Simpsons fans (or anyone who caught any episode aired after 2000 or so) knows that the later seasons do not match the Golden Era. In fact, some of them are downright awful. (I mean, who could forget the episode where Lady Gaga visits Springfield and does a duet with Lisa? It’s just not the same as Marge opposing the Monorail.) Different showrunners and writers have contributed to this dip in quality, with many having written the show off long ago. Despite the later episodes not being so great, it’s still a pretty wonderful show. It’s my all-time favourite show, and I'd argue, one of the best shows of all time. If for nothing else, it’s the popularity. There are so many phrases, images, and references immortalized by The Simpsons. Broadcasted all around the world, it’s a show that brings us all together. It’s relatable and human, while still being an outrageous cartoon world that is chock full of satire. No show will ever have the success or recognition that The Simpsons has. Never again will a comedy (especially a cartoon!) be so universally appealing and beloved. The cast is unlike anything ever seen on TV: hundreds of residents of Springfield, each memorable and distinct, voiced by one of the best casts of any show, ever. Most of the voice cast do many characters, and perfecting and maintaining those voices for 30 years is no easy feat. Julie Kavner, the voice of Marge (as well as every other member of the Bouvier family), refuses to do the voice outside of the studio. “The audience sees these characters as real people,” she said. It’s true: we've all known Marge Simpson for years. Her voice, hairstyle, and desperate attempts to keep her family together have touched our hearts for decades. It’s a show about the Simpsons, but every other Springfield resident has a story explored that we can remember. They’re walking stereotypes, but they’re also three-dimensional, honest, and all too real. We all know a little boy like Milhouse. We all know a Jeff Albertson (better known as Comic Book Guy). The unsolvable problem of the left-right divide > We need to prepare for the worst in Canadian politics Greg Waldock Staff Writer he jolt to the American political system after Trump’s win can't be understated. The effects will be studied in political science journals for decades. It demonstrates the biggest defining feature of western democracy: People in rural and urban communities vote differently. Big city people trend left; small town people trend right. This seems obvious, but until a few weeks ago, people weren't questioning why this divide exists, if it still has a purpose in a modern democracy, and how we on the left can build bridges across it. It’s big here in Canada, too. It'll be impossible to avoid next election. If we want to keep our own political system safe from the hateful rhetoric of American presidential campaigns, we need to look at why Trump became as popular as he did. People on both sides are missing out on the fact that small towns and large cities are completely different environments with completely different needs. Why would a farmer in central Saskatchewan care about obscure environmental regulation when he could lose his house because of falling crop prices? Why would a banker in downtown Vancouver care about interprovincial highway maintenance when she can't afford the cost of living? But those are just the easy dilemmas, the economic stuff. The truth is harder: Rural and urban social beliefs are pretty much incompatible the way they are. Gay marriage, transgender rights, and racial inequality issues are at the forefront of all left-leaning political discussion, and the opposition of those are major talking points in the right. We can’t appeal to a farmer on the grounds of subsidizing food prices if his views on gay marriage are completely counteractive to the left’s. We can barely discuss getting rural votes without it devolving into a very legitimate and important argument about social politics. But is it something that can be avoided? The beliefs of that farmer can be incredibly damaging to gay people, feeding the homophobia prevalent around small towns. But without the Map via 270towin.com Screenshot from The Simpsons m The Simpsons is unparalleled in the story and world it’s created. Even if they ran out of ideas long ago, it’s still the same Springfield we know and love. Many say the show should be cancelled and put out of its misery. Personally, I think it should keep going until the beloved main voice cast die. They'll never stop The Simpsons! Have no fear; we've got stories for years! vote of that small town farmer, more and more constituents could flip in the oncoming alt-right storm. We can convince traditionally right- wing people to vote Liberal or NDP in Canada if we appeal to the economy. It helped win the Liberals a majority this past Canadian election. But that may be only a temporary fix. The rise of Trump’s uncomfortably effective and insane style of aggressive politics will leak over here eventually. How can we attract rural voters to our side, without compromising the social beliefs that focus on minorities and the underprivileged? If we just focus on economically attracting voters, we lose out on discussion. But engaging in that discussion can, as we saw in the States, chase them farther right. I don’t think there’s an easy answer here, if there is an answer at all. Whatever the American left did this year didn’t work, so we'll need our own solution. We only have a few years left to figure it out.