Bob's Burgers Analysis

This episode of Bob’s Burgers (season 3 ep. 12) demonstrates the social concept of the Self. In the beginning of the episode Linda and the kids were commenting on what genes they may have inherited from her, like a strong chin or zest for life. Gene believes he inherited her “birthing hips” but Linda tells him he actually takes after his father more. She shows him a picture of Bob at his age and Gene is not impressed. He is not happy with the prospect of a future that leads him to look like Bob. Gene comments “ What’s the point of clinging to this, if I’m doomed to be that”. Later Gene decides to get a head start on his future and transforms into Bob with the help of Louise. He acts and dresses like Bob, ridding himself of his “youth” until the end of the episode.

Gene understands more of himself by adopting Bob’s life views. In the end of the clip, he decides to be himself because that’s what he finds fun. Bob also gets an outside view of himself.

Gene is social tuning. Social tuning is the process of adopting another person’s attitudes (1). Gene adopts Bob’s attitudes on his family life (“I love you, you’re my family but you are terrible”) and on his take of fun (i.e. not having any). Pretending to be Bob makes Gene feel like he can’t have fun or do what he wants. The intrinsic motivation of watching Zeke poop is what brought Gene out of his imitation. He wanted to be a kid (or himself) again without outside rewards or pressures. Choosing this for himself helps him realize who he wants to be.

Bob is also able to know more about himself by observing his behavior though Gene. Knowing ourselves by observing behavior is a concept of Self-perception. This unwanted outside view harms Bob’s self-esteem and Bob doesn’t want to believe he acts the way Gene portrays him and denies his imitation throughout the episode. The family agrees that this is the way Bob acts and will lead him to reevaluate