How The Simpsons Predict The Future

Summary

The video explores the widely debated theory that 'The Simpsons' predicts the future. From Donald Trump's presidency to scientific discoveries like the Higgs boson, some predictions appear uncannily accurate. The video dismisses conspiracy theories and instead attributes these predictions to intricate writing, deep research, and educated writers with connections to cutting-edge fields. While some predictions seem like coincidences, others stem from the show's satirical nature. Ultimately, it argues that good writing, not foresight, is behind these moments, and calls for skepticism of conspiracy theories.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The conspiracy theory that The Simpsons can predict the future has gained a cult following, with some believing the show is a tool used by the ruling elite to reveal future events.
• 🎥 The video explores the idea that while shows like Star Trek have also made future predictions, The Simpsons stands out with a higher number of accurate forecasts.
• 🔢 A mathematical explanation suggests that with so many episodes and jokes, The Simpsons simply benefits from a numbers game, making accurate predictions more likely due to sheer volume.
• 📡 Some of the most sophisticated predictions, like the Higgs boson equation, appear alarmingly accurate, leading to widespread speculation about how these predictions are possible.
• 👨‍🔬 Expert analysis shows that many predictions were not coincidental but the result of writers’ deep understanding of subjects such as mathematics, science, and politics.
• 🖋️ The Simpsons' writing team includes highly educated individuals from fields like math, physics, and social sciences, enabling them to craft jokes based on cutting-edge knowledge.
• 🤔 Although many believe The Simpsons' predictions are intentional, the show's writers have emphasized that their accurate predictions are often just the result of satirical and informed writing.
• 📊 A statistical analysis reveals that on average, it takes about 13 years for The Simpsons' predictions to come true, highlighting the show's long-term cultural relevance.
• 🧮 The Higgs boson prediction was based on a real but inaccurate equation, created by a writer who consulted a physicist friend, showing the writers’ dedication to factual accuracy even in jokes.
• 🧩 The final takeaway is that while The Simpsons is not predicting the future, its intricate writing, awareness of societal trends, and deep connections to scientific communities make its satire seem eerily prophetic.

Q & A

What is the main conspiracy theory discussed in the script?

The conspiracy theory suggests that 'The Simpsons' predicts the future and that the show's creators are part of a hidden elite, using the show to hint at future events.

What common mainstream explanation is provided for The Simpsons' 'predictions'?

The mainstream explanation is that, given the sheer volume of content in The Simpsons over its many seasons, the show's predictions are simply a numbers game—random coincidences due to the large number of jokes and scenarios.

How does the script suggest that The Simpsons has more predictions than other shows?

The script argues that The Simpsons has a significantly higher number of correct predictions compared to other long-running shows like Star Trek, implying there is more to their predictions than just chance.

What are some of the famous 'predictions' The Simpsons is said to have made?

Famous 'predictions' include Donald Trump becoming president, Disney buying Fox, the discovery of the Higgs boson, and events like the 9/11 attacks being eerily hinted at.

Why does the 'numbers game' explanation seem insufficient according to the script?

The script suggests the 'numbers game' explanation is only a partial answer because it doesn't account for the more complex and seemingly sophisticated predictions that The Simpsons has made, which go beyond mere coincidence.

How did the show's writers allegedly predict the mass of the Higgs boson?

In a 1998 episode, Homer writes an equation on the board that closely estimates the mass of the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that wasn't discovered until 2012. This prediction was later explained by the show's access to highly educated writers with connections in the scientific community.

What role does the show's highly educated writing team play in these predictions?

The script highlights that many of The Simpsons' writers hold advanced degrees in mathematics, computer science, and physics, allowing them to create jokes and references that are scientifically accurate or reflect current cutting-edge research, which sometimes inadvertently leads to real-world parallels.

How does the show balance humor and accuracy in its 'predictions'?

The Simpsons writers often create intricate, well-researched jokes that satirize real-world events, trends, and scientific discoveries. Their ability to blend accuracy with satire creates the illusion of predicting the future when these jokes later come true.

What is the significance of the 13-year average time for Simpsons' predictions to come true?

The script mentions that, on average, it takes 13 years for The Simpsons' predictions to come true. This suggests that the predictions often emerge from long-term social, political, or scientific trends, rather than short-term coincidences.

What is the final conclusion of the video regarding The Simpsons' predictions?

The video concludes that The Simpsons' predictions are not a result of conspiracy or supernatural foresight, but instead, stem from intricate, well-researched writing that is deeply connected to American culture and scientific trends. The 'predictions' are actually a reflection of intelligent satire rather than true forecasts.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Conspiracy Theories Around The Simpsons

This paragraph discusses the growing conspiracy theory surrounding *The Simpsons* and its supposed ability to predict the future. It introduces various claims, such as the prediction of Donald Trump's presidency and other major events, which have led to an avalanche of online theories. The narrator explains how the show's predictions have become the subject of heated debates, fueled by the belief that the series is used by a ruling elite to foreshadow global events. The writer expresses curiosity about the phenomenon and embarks on a mission to explore its validity by analyzing common theories, gathering data, and consulting experts.

05:00

🔬 The Higgs Boson Prediction: Coincidence or Genius?

This paragraph dives into one of *The Simpsons'* most impressive 'predictions' — the accurate estimation of the mass of the Higgs boson 15 years before its discovery. The writer recalls a scene from a 1998 episode in which Homer writes an equation on a blackboard that turned out to closely predict the mass of the elusive particle. This remarkable accuracy has intrigued both fans and scientists, and the narrator sets the stage for further exploration of whether these predictions are intentional or coincidental.

10:00

🧠 Not Predictions, But Expertise at Work

This section focuses on debunking the idea that *The Simpsons* makes predictions. The narrator interviews Simon Singh, an expert in physics and mathematics, who explains that many of the so-called predictions aren't predictions at all, but rather the product of well-educated writers who insert accurate scientific or mathematical references into the show. The episode featuring the Higgs boson prediction, for example, involved consulting experts. The narrator realizes that what seems like uncanny foresight is actually the result of detailed knowledge and carefully crafted jokes.

15:02

📚 How Writers Shape Reality on *The Simpsons*

In this paragraph, the narrator sheds light on the show's writing team, which includes individuals with advanced degrees in various fields, such as physics and computer science. The writers' expertise allows them to create content that reflects real-world scientific principles or trends, sometimes ahead of public awareness. The narrator discusses how, by making informed jokes about topics not yet widely understood, the show gives the impression of predicting the future. These jokes are carefully constructed to be both relevant and humorous, with no supernatural foresight involved.

Keywords

💡The Simpsons predictions

This refers to the belief that the animated show 'The Simpsons' has accurately predicted future events, from Donald Trump’s presidency to technological advancements like video calls. The script explores whether these predictions are merely coincidences or something more profound, and questions how the show manages to seemingly foresee the future so often.

💡Coincidence

Coincidence refers to events occurring together by chance without any intentional connection. In the video, many of The Simpsons' predictions are dismissed as coincidences due to the large volume of jokes and episodes the show produces. The script questions if coincidence alone can explain the show's accurate predictions, and explores alternative explanations.

💡Numbers game

The 'numbers game' theory suggests that The Simpsons has predicted so many future events because the sheer number of episodes (over 700) and jokes (over 120,000) increases the statistical likelihood of some coming true. This theory downplays the show’s apparent predictive power, claiming it is simply a matter of probability.

💡Higgs boson

The Higgs boson, also called the 'God Particle,' is a subatomic particle discovered in 2012 that helps explain how particles gain mass. In the video, a 1998 episode of The Simpsons is mentioned where an equation written by Homer eerily approximates the mass of the Higgs boson, which wasn't discovered until 15 years later. This is one of the most specific examples of the show's supposed ability to predict the future.

💡New World Order

The New World Order is a conspiracy theory that claims a secret elite is working to establish a global authoritarian government. In the video, some Reddit users believe The Simpsons is being used by this ruling elite to subtly reveal future events, such as 9/11 or the rise of a global political agenda.

💡Deep State

The Deep State is another conspiracy theory that posits the existence of a hidden government or influential group controlling major global events behind the scenes. The video mentions how conspiracy theorists believe The Simpsons is connected to the Deep State, as the show appears to reveal future events linked to political conspiracies like 9/11 and Donald Trump’s presidency.

💡Social satire

Social satire refers to the use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to critique societal norms and issues. The video suggests that The Simpsons, rather than predicting the future, is engaged in social satire, meaning its 'predictions' are actually sophisticated commentaries on current events that later become true due to the show’s awareness of societal trends.

💡Al Jean

Al Jean is the executive producer and long-time writer of The Simpsons. In the video, Jean admits that the show’s production is influenced by trends in current events because episodes are written a year in advance. He describes the writing team as 'amateur futurologists,' meaning they speculate about future outcomes in a way that sometimes aligns with real-world developments.

💡Conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories are beliefs that certain events or situations are the result of secret, often malicious plots by powerful groups. The script explores how conspiracy theories have developed around The Simpsons, with some fans believing the show intentionally leaks hidden knowledge about future events or is part of a grander plot involving the ruling elite.

💡Statistical significance

Statistical significance refers to the likelihood that a result is not due to random chance. In the video, a statistician comments on how The Simpsons’ track record of 'predictions' could be seen as statistically significant compared to other long-running shows like Star Trek. This raises the question of whether the show’s uncanny ability to predict the future goes beyond mere coincidence.

Highlights

The Simpsons has been claimed to predict the future, sparking numerous conspiracy theories linking it to events like the 2020 election and Lady Gaga's Super Bowl show.

The conspiracy theory gained a cult following, arguing that The Simpsons is used by elites to communicate upcoming events, including September 11th and Jeffrey Epstein.

The explanation for The Simpsons' accurate predictions is often attributed to sheer luck, as the show has produced over 120,000 jokes over 29 seasons.

Despite the 'luck' theory, The Simpsons has more accurate predictions than similar shows, like Star Trek, making the luck explanation incomplete.

Some predictions, such as Homer’s blackboard equation predicting the Higgs boson mass 15 years before its discovery, are considered alarmingly precise and sophisticated.

The episode featuring the Higgs boson prediction was not meant to predict the future but was a joke written by highly educated writers with strong backgrounds in math and physics.

The Simpsons' writers include individuals with advanced degrees in fields such as mathematics, computer science, and social sciences, giving them a deeper understanding of trends and possibilities.

One recurring theory is that the show’s creators are amateur futurologists, using educated guesses and well-researched trends to inform their writing.

Some predictions, like Trump’s presidency and Disney’s acquisition of Fox, were intentional jokes based on then-current events and trends, not actual predictions.

While some coincidences, like the 9/11 magazine cover, seem profound, they are often unplanned and the result of random chance.

Of the 43 predictions The Simpsons got right, 13 are considered coincidences, while the other 30 have statistical significance, according to analysis.

Many of the show's predictive jokes are rooted in their writers' awareness of trends in science, politics, and culture, giving the impression of future-telling when trends materialize later.

David X. Cohen, a writer for The Simpsons with a physics background, worked with colleagues in the scientific community to create jokes that were rooted in genuine math and science.

The team's blend of academic expertise allows them to create jokes that are not random, but carefully constructed based on existing knowledge and trends.

The overarching conclusion is that The Simpsons' 'predictions' are the result of intricate writing, not deep state conspiracies or supernatural foresight.

Conspiracy theories surrounding The Simpsons can be harmful, and the video creator aims to debunk these by showing the complexity of good writing and its connections to reality.

Transcripts

there's a conspiracy that's so intricate

that it's gained a cult following I've

heard of it and so have you but it's

getting out of hand nine months ago a

post appeared on Reddit it asks the

question does The Simpsons predict the

future from predicting the 2020 election

of Donald Trump to Lady Gaga's Super

Bowl halftime show the question in this

post has been asked many times something

really bothered me about this post with

zero-up votes the responses to the

latter half

it was a catastrophic flood of deranged

theories responses based around the idea

of a new world order explaining that The

Simpsons is the vessel used by the

ruling Elite to tell us what's coming

and it wasn't just this thread the

dialogue is everywhere the show's

Creator is a Freemason Jeffrey Epstein

September 11th these theories are

endless but they still leave the

question open the predictions how are

they doing it you've probably heard the

conspiracy theory that the Simpsons can

predict everything about the future who

are the world's greatest accurate

predictions predicted the future some of

these predictions are clearly surface

level others are alarmingly

sophisticated so for the past four

months we've been searching for an

answer one that will finally satisfy us

we listen to Common theories and we had

assumptions of our own we went the extra

mile collecting data that we couldn't

find on the internet hiring

statisticians and interviewing experts

at times it felt ridiculous

but when we ran the numbers one

explanation stood Above the Rest so

everyone is wrong one that was left of

the mainstream narrative almost entirely

this video was meant to be a

counterbalance to the flood of

derangement but it turned out to be the

kind of thing that makes you stop look

at yourself in the mirror and say holy

[ __ ]

this is a story about the undeniable

humor of our reality and how the human

brain interprets the world around us

what is the mind is it just a system of

impulses or is it something tangible

[Applause]

[Music]

what is mine no matter what is matter

never mind

you know I've owned this mic for years

and this is my first time using it

[ __ ] that opening was pretty dramatic

I'm sorry but I had to for real the

story is super interesting I want to

show you for years even the mainstream

news has been asking how and they seem

to have come up with the most simple

explanation so that's where we started

so Simpsons predicted part one The

Simpsons predicting the future their

explanation is based off a quote from an

assistant math professor Assistant math

professor at the University of Albany

here's how the logic Goes The Simpsons

is one of the longest running shows of

all time in 29 Seasons 120

000 jokes 8.54 jokes per minute they say

it's just a numbers game this only comes

down to about a 1.6 success rate

the Chalk's too big

they compare it to Star Trek which has

had a similar number of episodes Star

Trek comprises over 760 episodes of

television and 13 feature films Star

Trek has also predicted the future wait

a second what other television show has

over 700 episodes

so these shows have just had more

opportunity to be right with that many

predictions they essentially just got

lucky they argue that there's nothing

special about the Simpsons predicting

the future because other shows have done

it too

it's luck I was disappointed too

until we took a closer look

the theory rests on this Foundation

alone that the two shows have a similar

number of episodes and that they have a

similar number of accurate predictions

but that's not true The Simpsons have

had more predictions come true than

other shows like by a lot the answer

really feels like it's missing something

like it's only half of the explanation

transporter room energize and look at

this

Star Trek predicted [ __ ] like flip

phones prepare the beam Scotty onboard

flat screen TVs

they're really easy to dismiss as

coincidence luck whatever you want to

call it from Star Trek it's all of them

and The Simpsons they have some of these

two video calls autocorrect The

Coincidence explanation makes sense here

these shallow predictions don't Merit

screaming headlines nobody's talking

about them certainly not Reddit they

don't make it to the conspiracy boards

those boards are focused on things that

are more elaborate and intricate

alarmingly sophisticated predictions the

reason that the it's a numbers game

narrative feels like only half of the

truth is because it is the mainstream

theory is answering a question that no

one is asking

scientists believe they are getting

closer to proving the existence of the

Higgs boson the hypothetical subatomic

particle thought to supply Mass to the

matter that makes up our universe an

experiment is to resume Wednesday at the

Large Hadron Collider near Geneva

designed to catch a glimpse of the

so-called God particle in 2012

scientists at CERN discovered the

missing God Particle a previously

unknown building block of our universe

today known as the Higgs boson it

fundamentally changes our understanding

of the universe a massive Discovery for

quantum physics there's nothing else

like pigs in nature this is a completely

new kind of scientists believe that

without the Higgs there would be no

gravity and no Universe 15 years earlier

in the 1998 episode Homer wrote this

equation on the Blackboard the viewers

it meant nothing it was absolute jargon

at that stage so this is a long time ago

um

nobody knew the mass of the hipped boson

nobody even knew if it existed the

equation predicted the mass of the

missing God Particle so precisely that

he was only this far off this

breakthrough in understanding the

origins of mass 15 whole years before it

was discovered

what

this scene is by far the most specific

prediction The Simpsons has made to a

shocking level of accuracy the question

we're asking the question that's been

asked for 30 years the answer to this

whole video it must be buried in this

one scene the first equation on the

board is an attempt to estimate the mass

of the Higgs boson and as a particle

physicist that resonated with me

we're going to do the math [ __ ] are you

serious

[ __ ]

I made my friend Mia watch a hundred

episodes of The Simpsons randomly picked

from All Seasons I couldn't get over it

like the government is listening to

everybody's confidence Edward snowden's

NSA spying Scandal they made the

prediction five years before it even

came true Trump's presidency 17 years

we've inherited quite a budget crunch

for president Trump

Disney buys Fox 19 years statue of David

censorship 26 years

okay it's not a deep State plot and it's

not by Chance the show's executive

producer Al Jean says that they're

somehow predicting these intentionally

any award-winning producer writer works

on The Simpsons uh since the start in

1989. one overwhelming factor determines

the content of the show is that we are

produced a year in advance like the clip

I just showed

um we're actually amateur futurologists

how the [ __ ] are they doing this

[Music]

okay I've got all the numbers

I counted every time the show had a joke

or had a plot device that had the

potential to come true Mia's discoveries

were worthy of reshaping how I perceived

the word prediction up until now I've

been seeing this whole Spectrum as

predictions but it's really not fair to

say that this is the same as this nine

bucks this one's on me there was one

crazy cell where Bart held up a brochure

that is New York on nine dollars a day

the World Trade Center this was in 1996.

it was in the background so it looked

like 9 11. that was insane and of course

unplanned it was a terrible coincidence

that was algene the show's current

executive producer and former showrunner

conspiracy theorists online claimed that

this is proof that the Deep State

masterminds behind the show knew of 9 11

5 years in advance the episode is

completely absent of anything to do with

the attack it's a magazine with the New

York skyline that's a coincidence

according to the internet there's 43

predictions that The Simpsons got right

but I think 13 of them are coincidences

looking at the other 30 predictions with

a degree of like 95 confidence and a

peace score around like 0.11 I think

it's clear that she said a bunch of

other [ __ ] that totally went above my

head it made me realize that we needed

to get a real professional involved this

other part of the spectrum with 30

examples unexplained by coincidence what

does it mean foreign

I reached out to his statistician on

Fiverr but they turn out to be a bot

impersonating a crypto influencer thanks

Fiverr luckily Mia knew a real

professional so here's what they said

hey we're rolling on both of mine

okay predicting the future is

notoriously difficult so the fact that

the Simpsons has managed to do it 30

times could be seen as statistically

significant and compared to other shows

like Star Trek Futurama South Park The

Simpsons does Stand Out holy [ __ ]

so everyone is wrong

how

my name's Simon Singh I live in London

and uh gosh I suppose for 15 20 years

I've been writing books about

mathematics and physics Simon wrote a

book about The Simpsons too but he's

being humble here he's a theoretical and

particle physicist he contributed to

other discoveries at CERN where the

Higgs boson was discovered if there's

one person that has the answer it's him

when you have such a long-running show

that covers so many different topics

there are bound to be things that that

turn out to be true in due course part

of getting it right is luck but the big

ones the ones that are impossible to

explain by coincidence the ones that

spark up conspiracies on Reddit those

are not predictions

at all so I got in touch with with the

the the the writer of that episode

um David X Cohen now David X Cohen did a

degree in physics and then did a

master's degree in computer science and

then had published papers in

mathematical journals so he was a smart

guy he loved math and he loved physics

as he wanted to create this equation and

put it on the board so he rang up his

friend David shaminovich who was a

professor at Columbia they'd been at

high school together he said to David

shermanovic could you concoct an

equation that would somehow give the

right result

all right I'm not going to use anecdotal

evidence from just one example as a

cop-out conclusion here while Mia was

working on her research I came across

something interesting our distinguished

panel members with us they are

award-winning writers and producers of

Simpson our panelists also hold an

impressive array of degrees in

mathematics computer science and

philosophy among others the thing is you

could assemble a panel of other kinds of

nerds from The Simpsons as well like

like there are millions of jokes about

the presidents of the United States for

example I'm looking at Patrick Veron

who's a presidential scholar but really

there's a lot of people with different

interests and they're all trying to cram

all this stuff in unlike most other

shows The Simpsons writing team consists

largely of writers who are extremely

educated in fields ranging from

mathematics to social sciences and

because of this they're also really

connected to those that are on The

Cutting Edge let me play this back so he

rang up his friend David shimenovich who

is a professor at Columbia and they high

school together but they didn't just

know each other from high school

together they formed a gang of teenage

computer programmers called The Glitch

Masters they even wrote their own

computer language and after studying

physics at Harvard Kohan rejected a

career in Academia to pursue writing

shaminovic was just one of many

connections of his in the field you got

the math people today but this same

panel could be going on in thousands of

locations at the same time on different

subjects you know when they came up with

the equation for the Higgs boson they

could have come up with any old clutch

of Greek symbols but no they picked

genuine physical constants when combined

in the right way gave a massive Higgs

boson that was plausible so they sort of

said here whenever we put mathematics

into the show we've got to get it right

but we'll make sure it's true we'll make

sure it's accurate this mindset goes

beyond math for the writers of The

Simpsons these aren't just random things

these are equations that have a lot of

thought put into them before they appear

on screen earlier in this video I

claimed that the equation Blackboard was

precise he was only this far off but

this amount of error on the particle

level is incredibly significant they

were way off from a possible physics

point of view it's not a very good

equation the content on the Blackboard

was put there by a writer who had a

pulse on mathematics something that's

just not in the public eye it wasn't

even a prediction it was a corny joke

poking fun at something very real and

very absurd in true satire fashion it's

a pattern and it explains these this

sounds like political presidential talk

to me and I know people have talked to

you about whether or not you want to run

I do get tired of seeing what's

happening with this country and if it

got so bad I would never want to rule it

out totally Trump hinted at the

presidency 12 years before The Simpsons

made this episode president Trump yet

again a corny joke poking fun and

something very real and very absurd but

this joke is making fun of something

that's not in the public eye would you

would you ever

probably not why would you not I just

don't think I really have the

inclination to do it I love what I'm

doing I really like it also it doesn't

pay as well yeah so here's the whole

truth we can finally put it to rest The

Simpsons are not predicting the future

it's just intricate writing

I was left with the question why why put

all this effort in so I got my hands

dirty I scraped the web for all of the

data that I could find and I compared it

to Mia's findings hundreds of lines of

code later the answer revealed itself

here's a chart of all of the accurate

predictions made by The Simpsons sorted

by season we found data that someone

else collected which I Linked In the

description but using it we found that

it takes about 13 years for The Simpsons

predictions to come true on average if

you look closely a pattern merges a

pattern that follows the user rating of

each episode

the show is a satire on American culture

they're making fun of us that's kind of

the whole point right good writing is

socially politically scientifically

aware the writers want this not only is

it more fun for them but it makes the

show more interesting for us at least

according to IMDb here's my final case

it looks messy but stick with me each of

these lines is one writer for The

Simpsons some only wrote One season and

they never came back others wrote and

they took a break for several seasons

but they returned in his book The

Simpsons and their mathematical Secrets

Simon includes a list of some of the

writers with extensive degrees

what do you think do the predictions

mostly happen when these writers are

around one of the things about jokes and

probably philosophy and perhaps math is

that

um once you're done with them they seem

like they were obvious all along

[Music]

a 2001 episode involved Homer attempting

to prevent his local baseball team the

Isotopes for moving to Albuquerque two

years later the Albuquerque minor league

team was named the Isotopes the town

held a vote to determine the name of the

team the team president even admitted

that the name came from the series our

explanation is not a catch-all there's

few unique exceptions here laws of

Statistics are weird and they can make

some truly absurd coincidences happen

New York City has a population of around

9 million people and with that many

people a one in a million event should

happen nine times a day there as always

there's room for disagreement I hope I

made a compelling argument I really did

feel a little bit silly making this

video but I posted a promo for it and

after seeing some of the comments that

came out

I was genuinely concerned conspiracy

theories can be a real problem and

seeing them proliferate it's not

something that I love I don't fault

people for mistaking complexity for

conspiracy especially because

conspiracies can be fun but often the

truth can be even better thanks for

watching