He’s an absolute piece of shit and everything he does is horrible but I find it hard to hate him.
I think the show does an {excellent} job of making him look pathetic and pitiable, maybe there’s something to that overruling the digust I inevitably feel from everything he does or says. He’s definitely someone I never tire of joking about or referrring to as a short hand for senility and capitalism embodied, i dunno, I feel more sad for him. Like its lonely at the top and its worse if thats all you have.
Maybe sometimes I feel not so different from him (of course without all the money and the psychopathy lol)
He’s somehow less of a psychopath than any real life bourgeoisie. He’s given Homer his job back like 12 times, and apparently pays him enough to own a house and support a housewife and three kids.
The reason why was explained in a recent episode where burns made a promise to Abe Simpson to never fire homer under any circumstance.
Bourgeoisie are usually less of a psychopath than proletarians.
Smithers, is that you?
Its for…a…friend…?
Joke aside, this is a good question.
I think it’s partially because of Smithers, who acts like his better half, kind of negating many of Burns’s traits. It’s also because he’s intentionally written like this, akin to Grinch, someone who tries so hard to be evil that it’s hard not to pity him
He’s very sincere and open about his villiany.
Ever notice how the least likable characters are the most morally intact? Except maybe Paul and Linda McCartney…they seemed to do all right for the short cameo they had. But Lisa isn’t typically scoring a lot of ‘like points’ unless she’s being uncharacteristically mean or sneaky. I suppose Maggie giving Homer a non-toxic playdoughnut was a nice gesture that endeared her to me a little more…but if it had been a real donut, well I’m not sure if the endearment would have been as deep.
I guess the Simpsons helps us cope with the darker tendencies lurking in our midbrains…and it feels kinda…nice.
