Film and television can impact positively on collective thinking, without the need to offer lessons every second. Futurama is one of the most significant television shows of recent years, which poses reflective backgrounds, with existential, political and moral content.
In many cases, animated series can be underestimated about the messages they can bring to a better understanding of life. Despite its childlike appearance, Futurama offers a critical look at the future and makes people think about life today. The reflection is intermingled with comedy and science fiction, where the viewer has no sense of being scolded by future generations, but great life lessons are seen among the entertainment.
Not being a follower
In Futurama, there is a lot of criticism of today's society. One of the recurring questions is about technology and the way people react to new products, social networks or media.
The animated series shows the reality that people refuse to observe, about how they behave in front of the world of technology. In different episodes, there are parodies about the power of apps and the way buyers are massively directed to acquire the updates and new items on the market. Everyone may think they are free, but what do these purchasing behaviors say? Do the masses move by manipulation or by free will?
Seeing Beyond Mortality
Immortality is one of the desires of many people, but is it really something that humanity needs? These desires arise from the fear of death and what may come after it, however, the unknown is already present in life on Earth, as no one ever knows the next thing that will happen.
The promise of eternal life can be a good expectation in a world with better possibilities, but in one with great threats, it can be just as overwhelming as the thought of mortality. The series shows ideas and beliefs that can help debate these thoughts according to the historical context.
Don't stop being yourself
At this time, it is very important to be accepted by others, but in the present of Futurama each character, with exceptions at certain times, has high self-esteem regardless of many aspects of his life, especially Bender.
In one episode, parasites enter Fry's brain, allowing his intelligence to improve. Even though he manages to seduce Leela with these improvements, Fry decides to eliminate the worms, because what's the point of her falling in love with someone different? Changes must occur throughout life, but Fry wonders if these changes will replace everything in him until he no longer exists.
Staying Calm
Fry is going through many changes in his life, but despite having lost the world he knows and his family, he remains quite calm in adjusting to the circumstances. It is impossible to predict the future, but it is up to each person to make circumstances easier or more difficult.
Although many people think Fry is pretty dumb, one of his best qualities is being happy. So, a good life lesson from this character is not to let yourself go down in a crisis, trying not to get stressed out or overwhelmed because life can change at any minute and it' s necessary to learn to see the opportunities.
Learning from mistakes
The animated series offers a perspective on how humans have not learned from the mistakes of their past, making the same faults over and over again, without looking for some kind of solution that would make life better or different.
Futurama talks about Darwin's evolutionary theory, and God also appears in different forms. In this topic of religion, it is observed the beliefs and needs of the population, and how difficult it is for a superior being to please everyone and meet their demands.
The importance of family
Many times, people have a more individualistic way of thinking, where only their beliefs and goals matter, forgetting the things that really can matter at crucial moments in life.
Parenthood and family are present in the series through different characters. Topics such as growing up as an orphan, the of parents in sexual preferences, the competition between parents and children, the solidarity of the family, the comfort that comes from being close to loved ones, the reconnection with parents and the family formed with the friends around them.
Keep trying
Fry's always hurrying, never considering if he's ready. For him, the energy invested is enough to get the results he wants. On many occasions he fails because of this haste, but this main character continues to try until he saves his friends or humanity.
Fear is not normally in Fry's vocabulary. He doesn't know if his plans will work out or if they will be a complete disaster, but he continues to move forward with great enthusiasm without stopping to doubt. Success requires a lot of effort, besides knowing that everything can change quickly, so it is not advisable to get stuck.
Respect for the environment
One of the concerns for the future is about the resistance of the planet to man's actions. Futurama looks at how residues exceed the capacity of the Earth and also looks at the mutation of people, the extinction of species and the change in the way of life as a result of pollution.
One episode criticizes gastronomic trends, pointing the spotlight at a living creature, that makes people rethink animal eating habits. Many of the characters refuse to eat these creatures because when they grow up, they can think and talk, which brings out the current perspectives on the ethics of eating some species and not others.
Keeping hope
Leela longs for a family after growing up as an orphaned Cyclops, so in several episodes she sets out on a quest for love, to finally have that family she wants and to be accepted in a dream home. She fails several times, but continues her journey, hoping that on some planet she will find what she is looking for.
Finally, Leela discovers that her parents are alive, which gives the character greater depth in knowing her origins. It also helps her to understand that great lesson of life: never lose hope, no matter how many times the failure is seen up close, there is always another possibility to achieve the goals.
Forget the labels
Changes don't have to be negative, it is possible to change in life to grow, to have better opportunities or to make a difference. In the TV show, the friendship of Bender and Fry is important, this would not have been possible if Bender had continued with his original programming.
The transformation that began with an electric shock, allowed Bender to become something more than what is expected of him. In Futurama, the robots and humans can be seen leaving their main structure, to overcome their destinies and go in search of something totally different.