Bikini Bottom as a Functioning Socialist Society

Bikini Bottom is compared to a functioning socialist society. What is socialism? It is defined as a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. So why is Bikini Bottom compared to a socialist society? Let’s look at a few examples from Spongebob! First of all there is Mr.Krabs who sees everything in terms of economic value. Literally everything. He has attempted to charge his workers for breathing (“Squid on Strike”), forced them to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (“Graveyard Shift”) and even traded Spongebob's soul for a measly 62 cents (“Born Again Krabs”). All of Mr.Krabs social relationships become purely economic because he views humans as capital rather than humans. I guess they are not actually humans… Secondly, we have Spongebob Squarepants himself, the greatest fry cook in the Universe but he is paid hardly anything. He asks for a raise but it ultimately ends in a failure. Then you have Patrick, on quite the opposite end of the spectrum. Patrick Star lives happily and securely but has never held a job or gained any sort of monetary success. He is considered the poorest member of the bikini bottom society. Lastly, there is the Chum Bucket. The Chum Bucket is another firm ran by Plankton who tries to take the secret krabby patty recipe from the monopoly: The Krusty Krab. Rather than the Chum Bucket fueling innovation for the Krusty Krab, it is seen as little to no threat to Mr.Krab’s business.

1. What kind of society is Bikini Bottom compared to?
2. Who popularized the idea of socialism?
3. Mr. Krabs views people as ______ rather than humans.
4. The Chum Bucket is ran by who?

1. Are there any other shows that you can think of that can be compared to Karl Marx’s socialism?
2. What character’s actions do you think enhance this theory the greatest?

Spongebob and Philosophy is a book about that connects a popular cartoon among kids and even young adults to popular philosophical questions and ideas. The book is split into 3 parts: Part One digs deeper into the personalities of each of the main characters and connects their  behavior and way of life to philosophy, Part Two acknowledges the town of Bikini Bottom and the structure if it’s society, and Part Three is filled with miscellaneous topics all related to the cartoon and philosophy. All in all, the book does a great job sparking question about a common cartoon we’ve all probably seen at least a handful of times for those who aren’t fans. However, I chose to focus in on Part One and the traits of the main characters.

First and foremost, our main man, Spongebob Squarepants. Spongebob is the happy, go-getter, energetic main character in the cartoon. He lives life to the fullest and his main priority is living a filling life. This attitude earns him the comparison to Aristotle in the book. “Like Spongebob, Aristotle seeks happiness as the chief good. He defines it as both what ‘we choose always for its own sake, and never with a view to anything further’ and ‘something final and self-sufficient’” (Book I, Section 7) In other words, the two have the common belief that happiness is good in itself, not needing anything else to give it value.  

Secondly, we have Patrick Star who the book describes as, “not the brightest echinoderm in the sea.” In every episode Patrick has a dumb moment but a couple examples include: thinking mayonnaise is a musical instrument and believing ice cream is “shiny.” Although he intellectually limited, he is a very lovable character in the show and remains a loyal friend to Spongebob as they are often seen enjoying their entire days using their imaginations. The only philosophical idea that the book related Patrick Star to is John Stuart Mill’s Hedonistic Utilitarianism. This was the idea that the right action is the one that maximizes happiness for all and defined happiness as “pleasure and the absence of pain.”

Lastly, “Miserable” Squidward as the book names him. He is the Krusty Krab cashier who hates his job and lets it be known. He also believes that Spongebob and Patrick are total idiots. The book says, “Everything about Squidward is gloomy, miserable, and serious.” Squidward's pessimistic approach to life leaves him feeling perpetually unhappy. His philosophy is compared to who the book calls “Philosophy’s own Squidward,” Arthur Schopenhauer. His actual life philosophy was that life is a miserable and futile struggle due to the unhappiness that came from the world. Squidward's demeanor, appearance, and actions deeply reflect Schopenhauer's beliefs.

Obviously there are other main characters like Sandy, Mr.Krabs, and Plankton that play crucial roles in the cartoon but I am going to dive deeper into their philosophical ideas later on. Plankton has his own chapter in the book on how we should be serving him, so that is notable.

1. How many parts is the book split into?
2. What philosopher is Spongebob compared to?
3. Aristotle refers to happiness as the “chief” what?
4. What is the name of the philosophical idea most like Patrick Star’s?
5. Which character is compared to German Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer?

1. Did you ever consider these deeper meanings behind the characters’ personalities and ideas before?
2. Which character were you most intrigued by?
3. Do you agree with the philosophy/philosophers paired with each character?