References to Communism in Futurama.

[on:]

Is it just me or in the year 3000 do people have a problem with being socialist.

[Reply #1 on:]

Heck, the government in the year 3000 is socialist.

[Reply #2 on:]

With a Republican president? Thean again they have become rather fond of Big Government lately...

 

Originally posted by RexSand:
Is it just me or in the year 3000 do people have a problem with being socialist.

Well, can you blame them?

[Reply #3 on:]

Fry= Who ever dosent laugh is a communist.


Cause in point 

[Reply #4 on:]

 

Originally posted by RexSand:
Fry= Who ever dosent laugh is a communist.


Cause in point   

I'm pretty sure that the quote you refer to is different. Also, you mean "case", not "cause".

The government in the year 3000 is also not necessarily against socialism in all its forms just because one of their citizens has expressed a mild disapproval of communism specifically.

[Reply #5 on:]

Also the flag for Zoidbergs people represents The communist Hammer& Sickel.

[Reply #6 on:]

The world of Futurama quite clearly has overtones of the centralised, command economy type government with which we are familiar from the former USSR.

I refer particularly to the idea of permanent career assingnment, with the career chip to ensure, state controlled compliance!

And if you dont comply you get 'fired, out of a cannon, into the sun!' like being sent to the goolag

also the robot police, seem to have a somewhat totalitarian approach to law enforcement!

I would guess the mutants being confined to the sewers is more of a nazi type thing but then soviet communism was pretty nazi like at times.

[Reply #7 on:]

But it still has a practical side:

[Reply #8 on:]

OK, call it superficial but the first thing I thought of was Cloberella's outfit...  Oh, and then I thought of the symbol on the outfit as it reminds me of the hammer and sickle.

[Reply #9 on:]

 

Originally posted by gaschief:
The world of Futurama quite clearly has overtones of the centralised, command economy type government with which we are familiar from the former USSR.

As well as elements of the American democratic/electoral system with which we are all equally familiar. What's your point?

[Reply #10 on:]

Slightly relevant picture made by the marching band.


If Futurama had any purposeful communism references, they would be obvious.  I have a friiend who's a communist, and he hasn't noticed anything, although he doesn't watch Futurama as often as I do.  That's all I have to say about that.

[Reply #11 on:]

 

Originally posted by totalnerduk:
 As well as elements of the American democratic/electoral system with which we are all equally familiar. What's your point?

What part of the original post did you not get, it seemed pretty self explanatory..NO?

The point of the thread 'references to communism' Is what I sought to do. I have not refered to anything blatantly concrete like a hammer and sickle, but rather to some general themes with analogous in the soviet style communist system. Equally and perhaps more so as you have suggested the show also has many analogies with the American political system we all know and quite expertly humours it, after all it's a progressive show.

I have to say that one of the funniest communist references ive seen was in a simpsons episode, where there is a summit debate with russia, and the sign on the desk turns over to reveal USSR. A friendly parade in moscow square then overturns revealing lots of hidden tanks and marching soldiers, missiles etc! cant remember which one and this is off topic anyway, but a great Groenning moment!

[Reply #12 on:]

 

Originally posted by RexSand:
Also the flag for Zoidbergs people represents The communist Hammer& Sickel.

More of a parody/mockery than representation. If the Decapodian flag represented the Hammer&Sickel, Zoidberg's people would represent communists. And considering they have democratic elections...

 

By gascheif:
cant remember which one

"Simpson Tide"

Russian official: "The Soviet Union will be pleased to offer amnesty to your wayward vessel."
American official: "The Soviet Union?  I thought you guys broke up."
Russian official: "Njet, that's what we wanted you to think!"

Great moment and episode.

[Reply #13 on:]

Fry seems to exhibit Commie phobia, as in 'A Taste of Freedom' "Anyone who laughs is a communist!" - This is because Fry's father was a patriotic Cold War survivalist nutjob who was preoccupied with the Russians attacking. In the same episode Nixon refers to Zoidberg as a "Red Menace".
The Communist hysteria humour is present I guess because Futurama as a parody of RETRO sci-fi. Sort of like the future as it was imagined back in the day...

[Reply #14 on:]

Zapp Branagan Is like every dictator mixed into one.

[Reply #15 on:]

Not really, he's like a movie star given command of weapons.

Nixon is like every dictator mixed into one. Which is somewhat true to life.

NB: Dictatorships aren't necessarily communist in nature, and vice versa.

[Reply #16 on:]

Im pretty sure Frys commie phobia is a direct result of his fathers influence...surely that man was the embodiment of 1950s american style paranoia!

 

Originally posted by coldangel_1:

NB: Dictatorships aren't necessarily communist in nature, and vice versa.

I agree totally, there have been far more right wing dictatorships throughout history!

[Reply #17 on:]

Fry's father was a parody of the McCarthy-era overblown "patriot" who thought everything and everyone was communist. It's a testament to his character that with the parents he had, Fry turned out as sweet as he did.

[Reply #18 on:]

Its testament to the comic genius of the show.
Yeh, Fry is like a late 20th century hippy, the ideological opposite to the McCarthy / 1950s american uber-paranoid patriotic type, which in many ways the hippie movement was a revolt against. Sometimes wonderfull things are born in the face of adversity!

[Reply #19 on:]

Well, I wouldn't call him a hippie, more of a slacker/loser, but anyway obviously different from his parents.
I meant that his father evidently didn't corrupt him, although as coldangel noted above, he does occasionally make anti-communist comments.

[Reply #20 on:]

No he's definetly not a hippy, modern day 'hippies' have become rather succesfull in the materialistic sense, quite ironic really! Im thinking of the likes of Richard Branson when i say this.
ohh and not forgeting Steve Jobs the Apple guy!

You could maybe argue that the chilled out, though rather unsuccesfull 'slacker/loser' sort of character that Fry represents could have evolved out of the original Hippies??? maybe, just a thought.

[Reply #21 on:]

 

Originally posted by gaschief:
  What part of the original post did you not get, it seemed pretty self explanatory..NO?

So when you made vague, off-hand references to things that may or may not actually be there and were (despite obviously being meant to be blatant) as clear as mud thanks to your infuriating refusal to be specific, this was intentional?

Ok. Sorry. Gave you too much credit for a second.  Won't happen again.

[Reply #22 on:]

I was unaware there was a prerequisite on this thread to be very specific.

My 'vague' comments seem to have triggered some discussion nevertheless!

I think Fry saying something like 'anyone who laughs is a communist' is an automatic response, drummed into him by his idiotic father, rather than something he fervently believes, it seems too out of character for him, and besides this whole episode was set up to parody the hysterical patriotism that has recently reared its ugly head again in that some have moved to ban flag burning in the US.
Please don't tell me if they've succeeded!

[Reply #23 on:]

Best communist reference remains the socialist revolutionary greeting card.

[Reply #24 on:]

 

Originally posted by gaschief:
  I have to say that one of the funniest communist references ive seen was in a simpsons episode, where there is a summit debate with russia, and the sign on the desk turns over to reveal USSR. A friendly parade in moscow square then overturns revealing lots of hidden tanks and marching soldiers, missiles etc!

My favourite part of that is when the ground splits open and the wall comes out, stationed with guards and all.

[Reply #25 on:]

 

Originally posted by RexSand:
Fry= Who ever dosent laugh is a communist.


Cause in point   

Nixons head said something about earths bossom and fry said "whoever laughs is a communist."   

[Reply #26 on:]

I might be totally nut but very frequently when in the intro scene PE ship flew to "R" in "Futurama" sign I could swear that I saw sickle and hammer flashing in the corner. Or is that old thing allready known?

[Reply #27 on:]

I think Fry's line about communism comes from how he was raised by his father

[Reply #28 on:]

Fry's father is also alittle rusty on his facts because he thinks that the American Revolution was a American VS Communist war. So inturn he thinks the British were communist.

[Reply #29 on:]

After the US-assisted collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe, Fry's father was left without a convenient 'enemy' to direct his paranoia toward, until the Y2K Bug fiasco, to which he attributed some kind of malignant intelligence that would turn toasters into scud missiles and such...

I imagine after the Y2K Bug didn't eventuate he probably turned his redneck survivalist hysteria toward the non-existant terrorists that hide behind every non-white face.

His type of American always needs to have an enemy, even if they have to invent them. Quite true to life really.

[Reply #30 on:]

 

Originally posted by coldangel_1:

I imagine after the Y2K Bug didn't eventuate he probably turned his redneck survivalist hysteria toward the non-existant terrorists that hide behind every non-white face.

His type of American always needs to have an enemy, even if they have to invent them. Quite true to life really.

Thankfully 9/11 happened and he had a new enemy.

Dude, it ain't just Americans who have to have enemies.  I witnessed that personally when I was in Africa.  Because I was an American, that was reason enough to have a price on my head and requiring an armed guard at all times (even though I was able to take better care of myself than the 'bodyguard' the UN assigned to me).

[Reply #31 on:]

Yeah, I know. I'm just bending facts so they fit into my geopolitical world view.
Everyone was doing it!!

[Reply #32 on:]

I have to respond just so I can show my new sig...

[Reply #33 on:]

@Ralph's sig: Hehe, oh God, so I heard... 

Re: Crustacean flag - to me that reminds me of the flag of a extreme far-right skinhead group in Russia - I forget the name - They have the flag of Nazi Germany but replace the Swastika with the Soviet Hammer 'n' Sickle. Perhaps they don't get quite get the point of each ideology they are trying to glorify as one, but then again that probably doesn't surprise me...

I doubt the Crustaceans are really supposed to have anything to do with Communism in the show but what with the sickening level of patriotism and the fact that they were actually Red (*chuckle*) made anti-commie phrases ideally suited. Though at the same time the "Freedom dance" has a distinct Russian/Ukrainian/Cossack traditional dance thing to it.

*Thinks*
Hmm, I have an urge to listen to some Dschinghis Khan now...

I agree with Pitt - the best Communist reference has to be Comrade Greeting Card. And Bender gets to speak Russian! 

[Reply #34 on:]

 

Originally posted by gaschief:
 I agree totally, there have been far more right wing dictatorships throughout history!

I must not turn this into a political discussion
I must not turn this into a political discussion
I must not turn this into a political discussion

But...
Cite, please? Via e-mail if you like.

[Reply #35 on:]

Doctor: wow look at that red hair

Yancey: you callin my son a commie?

PS: gaschief sucks.

BAM!

[Reply #36 on:]

 

Originally posted by Archie2K:
 Cite, please?

Egypt and Rome both spring to mind. Plus most autocratic kingdoms/empires throughout history in all parts of the world could basically be considered right-wing dictatorships (just somewhat more open about the fact).
Nazi Germany, of course. Italy at the same time
The USA whenever it happens to be ruled by the Republicans.

George W. Bush: "...A dictatorship would be a lot easier."

[Reply #37 on:]

This is all I'm gonna say on the matter: There's a poster I really enjoy on DeviantArt with Stalin pointing out the facts:

"Communism doesn't kill 30 million people!

I DO!"

 

[Reply #38 on:]

He struck a cord with the voters when he pledged not to go on a killing spree. But, like most politicians, he promised more than he could deliver.

[Reply #39 on:]

Thanks coldy for the above citations, of course closer to home for me, there was also the British Empire!

 

Originally posted by Organazation14:
Doctor: wow look at that red hair

Yancey: you callin my son a commie?

PS: gaschief sucks.

BAM!

What is your Fucking problem with me Wankbreath?