While Homer Simpson is one of the least intelligent characters on television, his daughter Lisa is well-known as one of the smartest. At the tender age of eight, she already understands concepts that most adults can’t even get their heads around. As well as having a high IQ, she’s also emotionally intelligent and is able to empathize with the people around her.
There are several moments in The Simpsons where Lisa demonstrates just how smart she really is. When you think about some of the profound things this little girl says, it’s not a stretch to call her a genius!
“All Right. No Husband.”
Lisa Simpson is wise beyond her years. At the age of eight, she seems to understand things that most people don’t comprehend until their late 30s, if at all. In particular, she believes in women’s rights and has proven herself to be the ultimate feminist icon many times in the show’s history.
One of our favorite Lisa quotes takes place in The Haw-Hawed Couple. When Marge tells Lisa that she’ll never get a husband by being sarcastic, Lisa simply responds with, “All right. No husband.” In other words, she’s smart enough to know that she shouldn’t have to change herself to win over a man.
"Dad! The Second Amendment Is Just A Remnant From Revolutionary Day. It Has No Meaning Today."
In the episode The Cartridge Family, Homer surprises the family by bringing home a gun. They’re not thrilled about the idea like he is, and while Marge ultimately leaves him until he can get rid of the gun, Lisa tries to debate her dad on whether or not a gun is something they should really have in the house.
When Homer cites the Second Amendment as the reason why he should have a gun, Lisa hits him with a home truth about the law in question. This shows that she understands that societies change and progress over time and laws should be altered to reflect that.
“Does It Make You Feel Superior To Tear Down People’s Dreams?”
Despite her young age, Lisa is able to read people very well. She’s a great judge of character and can see past people’s facades. When they act in certain ways, she is usually able to tell what’s driving them to take on such behavior. When she asks the question, “Does it make you feel superior to tear down people’s dreams?” it shows that she understands quite a lot about what makes people tick.
Though most people are intimidated when others try to put them down and discourage them from pursuing their dreams, this behavior is often linked to a person’s need to try and make themselves feel superior.
“Don’t You Think We Ought To Attack The Roots Of Our Social Problems Instead Of Jamming People Into Overcrowded Prisons?”
We wish Lisa Simpson was real so we could vote her into politics! When Marge becomes a police officer in Season Six’s The Springfield Connection, Lisa challenges her mom on the way the system works. “Don’t you think we ought to attack the roots of our social problems instead of jamming people into overcrowding prisons?” she asks.
This is definitely a quote that makes you stop and think! And Lisa’s right: if we don’t start focusing on the root causes of our social problems, they’ll just keep happening over and over again.
“My Brother Is Using Worms. But I, Who Feel The Tranquility Far Outweighs The Actual Catching Of Fish, Am Using Nothing.”
In the Season Two episode Two Garages in Every Car and Three Eyes on Every Fish, Bart and Lisa are fishing when an investigative journalist shows up and starts chatting to them. When he asks them what they’re using for bait, Lisa says, “My brother is using worms. But I, who feel the tranquility far outweighs the actual catching of fish, am using nothing.”
An eight-year-old kid who is able to be mindful enough to enjoy a relaxing activity like fishing without worrying about the outcome? Sounds like a genius to us.
“Bart, The Only Reason To Apologize Is If You Look Deep Down Inside Yourself And You Find A Spot, Something You Wish Wasn’t There, Because You Feel Bad You Hurt Your Sister’s Feelings.”
Bart and Lisa do have a strong sibling bond, but there are also many moments in the show where the two are at odds with each other. One of their most memorable arguments takes place in Bart vs. Thanksgiving when he destroys Lisa’s centerpiece.
Eventually, Bart tries to fix things with Lisa, and she tells him that she only wants an apology if it’s genuine. “Bart,” she says, “the only reason to apologize is if you look deep down inside yourself and you find a spot, something you wish wasn’t there, because you feel bad you hurt your sister’s feelings.” Profound!
“You Mean Those Leagues Where Parents Push Their Kids Into Vicious Competition To Compensate For Their Own Failed Dreams Of Glory?”
Why can Lisa understand adults better than most adults can understand adults? Despite being one of the smartest kids in school, there is still one class that Lisa isn’t that great at: gym. In order to bring up her grade, her gym teacher demands that she join a pee-wee team outside of school. But Lisa seems to see straight through it.
She tells the coach that those leagues are where “parents push their kids into vicious competition to compensate for their own failed dreams of glory.” That might not apply to all parents, but Lisa isn’t totally off the mark.
"Remember, Dad. All Glory Is Fleeting."
Lisa will always be there to deliver simple yet effective pieces of advice that always turn out to be valid, whether or not her family listens to them. In the episode Homer the Great, when Homer becomes the leader of the Stonecutters, Lisa tries to warn him that his happiness won’t last forever.
Along with telling him that his glory is fleeting, she also lets him know that getting what he wants all the time will leave him unfulfilled and joyless. He never follows Lisa's advice, but he soon finds out for himself that she’s right.
“Pablo Neruda Said, 'Laughter Is The Language Of The Soul.'"
There’s a good chance that any kid who quotes Pablo Neruda is gifted (even if Bart claims that he is also familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda). Lisa quotes the late poet-diplomat and politician after Bart sells his soul to Milhouse, reminding him that “laughter is the language of the soul.”
When Bart no longer finds anything funny, Lisa tells him that she thinks he did lose his soul when he sold it to Milhouse. He probably would have figured it out eventually anyway, but she does help him to get there faster.
“I Just Think It's A Fantasy. If You Believe In Angels, Why Not Sea Monsters, Unicorns Or Leprechauns?”
Along with her strong views on vegetarianism and women’s rights, Lisa also seems to have strong views on religion throughout the show. She’s the resident skeptic of the family and leaves the Christian church to pursue a path that means something to her.
When an “angel” is discovered in Springfield, Lisa is one of the last to be convinced that it’s real. Though everyone is entitled to believe in whatever they wish, she does make sense when she points out that people often believe in angels but not in other supernatural beings such as leprechauns or unicorns. That attitude of questioning things and not believing just because everyone else shows how smart Lisa really is.