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|One of the most influential cartoons of the 21st century, centered on an energetic, anthropomorphic sea sponge (who more nearly resembles a kitchen sponge) and a diverse cast of his underwater friends, is decidedly one of the most politically ambiguous.

|One of the most influential cartoons of the 21st century, centered on an energetic, anthropomorphic sea sponge (who more nearly resembles a kitchen sponge) and a diverse cast of his underwater friends, is decidedly one of the most politically ambiguous.

On the one hand, the series suggests that capitalists are inherently malign or simply obsessed with money, as the main character’s crustacean employer, the fast food restaurateur Mr. Krabs, is inclined to put money before others’ interests, sometimes at the expense of others’ well-being.  In addition, SpongeBob and his dimwitted seastar best friend Patrick Star have a habit of annoying Squidward Tentacles, a cynical and apathetic octopus (and an expy of ''Sesame Street'' character Bert due to both characters having interests that others find mundane and boring) who lives between them, and tend to not face comeuppance for their childish actions (though there are exceptions), which may teach that being annoying is “acceptable” adult behavior.  Specific episodes have controversial overtones, too.  For instance, “Rock-a-Bye Bivalve” is infamous for depicting SpongeBob and Patrick raising a baby scallop like a homosexual couple.  Moreover, one of the series’ worst-received episodes, “One Coarse Meal,” tries to make bullying look humorous because it centers on Mr. Krabs driving his microscopic arch business rival Plankton to suicide by appealing to the copepod’s secret fear of whales, a fear not present in any other episode.  Worst of all, there is a theory that each of the seven main characters is modeled after one of the Seven Deadly Sins:

On the one hand, the series suggests that capitalists are inherently malign or simply obsessed with money, as the main character’s crustacean employer, the fast food restaurateur Mr. Krabs, is inclined to put money before others’ interests, sometimes at the expense of others’ well-being.  In addition, SpongeBob and his dimwitted seastar best friend Patrick Star have a habit of annoying Squidward Tentacles: a quick-tempered, cynical octopus who live between them, behaves apathetically on his job as a cashier, and may be an expy of ''Sesame Street'' character Bert due to both characters having interests that others find mundane. They tend to not face comeuppance for their childish actions against Squidward (though there are exceptions), which may teach that being annoying is “acceptable” adult behavior.  Specific episodes have controversial overtones, too.  For instance, “Rock-a-Bye Bivalve” is infamous for depicting SpongeBob and Patrick raising a baby scallop like a homosexual couple.  Moreover, one of the series’ worst-received episodes, “One Coarse Meal,” tries to make bullying look humorous because it centers on Mr. Krabs driving his microscopic arch business rival Plankton to suicide by appealing to the copepod’s secret fear of whales, a fear not present in any other episode.  Worst of all, there is a theory that each of the seven main characters is modeled after one of the Seven Deadly Sins.  According to the theory:

*Mr. Krabs is avarice for his love of money.

*Mr. Krabs is avarice for his love of money.

*Plankton is envy because he desires after that which Mr. Krabs has: a successful restaurant and the secret formula for Krabs’ signature sandwich, the Krabby Patty.

*Plankton is envy because he desires after that which Mr. Krabs has: a successful restaurant and the secret formula for Krabs’ signature sandwich, the Krabby Patty.