Of course, the makers of the “Simpsons” never had a ball on hand to be able to look into the future. And yet in numerous consequences, strange predictions come, which then apply at some point. In the episode “Lisa’s wedding” you can see a smartwatch, decades before it was introduced by Apple. The yellow also indicated that their own fate – Disney 20th Century Fox bought.
All of this is not rocket science, but a mixture of a sharp sense of observation, statistical probability and pop cultural influence. What acts like magic is actually a combination of foresight, humor and chance.
1. The sheer amount of episodes & gags
The series has been running since 1989 and has produced almost 800 episodes. With so many ideas and jokes, it is statistically likely that some predictions will happen later.
2. Satirical exaggeration, catches up with reality
The “Simpsons” often took up real trends in their long production time and overscribed them satirically. In other words, the series is the worst possible results for the comedic effect. Many “prophecies” are only exaggerated fantasies that have simply become reality over time because the world developed in this direction (e.g. video telephony, smartwatches).
3. Influence on pop culture and self-fulfilling prophecies
Some “Simpsons” ideas could have themselves consciously or unconsciously influenced the future because people later implement them consciously or unconsciously after seeing them in the series. Disney bought Fox – a scenario that appeared as a joke in 1998.
4. Think political and social trends
The authors of the “Simpsons” are clever observers who use developments in politics, technology or pop culture to reflect them in the series. Donald Trump, as President, still seemed absurd in 2000 – but the emergence of celebrities in politics was a social trend (see Arnold Schwarzenegger), which the show was looking for.
5. Coincidence & Confirmation Bias
People remember the predictions of the “Simpsons” that arrive. However, they ignore the many gags that deliver predictions that proved to be completely nonsense. This is called confirmation errors (Confirmation Bias). If 1000 absurd Jokes are made, it is not surprising that some of them find later by chance and prove to be prediction.
6. Recurring social patterns
Some events are repeated in variations. Economic crises, political scandals or technical innovations are predictable developments. With its remarkable term of over 35 years, the series often reflects existing patterns, which then repeat itself very simply.