Spongebob Squarepants;On Top in Bikini Bottom

DAYLIGNT SAVINGS TIME is over, fall has fallen heavily upon us, and in areas fortunate enojgh to have deciduous trees, the colorful leaves are regrettably leaving the trees. Last but not least, the fall television schedule is well underway, and by now the highly discerning American public has formed its own ideas about what will sell, and what will not. The best sight is a small quaint town lined with ornamental maples, surrounded by wooded hills with slightly more subdued, natural fall colors. And the best show on television, for the twentieth year in a row, or whatever, is "Spongebob Squarepants". Hands down, no competition. That may well be a scathing indictment of American television, or American culture, but, as we like to say these days, it is what it is. How many television programs provide an insightful examination of human nature, and a persuasive portrayal of American culture, all inside a fast paced, hilarious story involving lovable, compelling characters? One, that I can see. Spongebob. The magic formula is that a bunch of off the wall creative liberals somehow got past the conservative corporate front gate, and got jobs as script writers and graphic artists creating the show. Right under the noses of our conservative corporate masters, Spongebob Squarepants exudes liberal, anti-corporate- elite values. It may be that the top three or four TV shows in the U.S.A. are all intended for children, if so, that makes a strong statement about American cultural values, and those are hard to find. Or maybe it makes a strong statement about the literacy level of the average American. But I digress. For the uninitiated, Spongebob lives in a pineapple at the bottom of the ocean, in a town named "Bikini Bottom". He is everyman, a poor working stiif who though generally unaware of larger social trends around him, nonetheless finds wisdom within, and ceaseless compassion and positive attitude. His employer is a corporate monster, perpetually at war with the corporate monster across the street. Spongebob is an innocent victim of all this, who actually pays his employer for the privilege of serving as his indentured servant. The most intelligent characters in the show are all arrogant, narcissistic, and cruel. All the little people are intellectually challenged, Spongebob and his friends, but good hearted, and they come out on top in the end. So will you, soon as you tune in to Spongebob Squarepants, and tune out most of the other shows.