Rick or Morty
A leader is something that everyone wants to be.
Simultaneously — and ironically — most people also need a guiding figure in their lives.
We need the comfort of someone telling us what to do, like the well-worn nagging of a parent. We need structure and rigidity, discipline and order.
On the other hand, we often desire freedom, and expression. We want our opinions to be heard and our thoughts to mean something. We want adoration from the masses, and adoring followers.
Now, this is where everyone’s long-time favourite shit-storm, Rick and Morty comes in.
For those of you who haven’t watched the show, it’s centred around a grandpa, Rick, and a grandson, Morty.
One of the reasons Rick and Morty is so wildly successful, is because it successfully exposes the nastiest parts of humanity in a way that’s almost acceptable for viewing.
One of the most notable human traits it exposes is the leader and follower relationship of Rick and Morty. i.e. all humans can be more-or-less sorted into 2 personality types (because we are all sheep 🐑)
As much as we like to disregard labels, it’s pretty scary how well Rick and Morty manages to capture the very essence of humanity and reduce it to whatever the fuck that show is.
It forces us to confront the reality of life in a shitty way, because life really is just a giant turd.
Okay, so back to Rick and Morty, let me give you a quick run-down
Rick Sanchez
Age: 70
Personality: The definition of being too smart for his own good, Rick is a fucking genius, like insanely smart. Nevertheless, nothing comes perfect in this world, so his insane intellect is marred by his bitter, jaded personality, and his highkey suicidal tendencies.
Morty Smith
Age: 14
Personality: Insecure AF, exacerbated by his chronic stutter. He’s pretty easily scared and easily manipulated by people like Rick. He’s also intellectually the opposite of Rick, performing poorly at school.
So, the show basically revolves around these two idiots going on adventures and fucking shit up in other dimensions, led by Rick. It’s pretty obvious from the start, that Rick invents weird stuff, then drags Morty out of school so they can do even weirder stuff. Rick is depicted as having quite the controlling personality, as he expects things to go his way and he usually just does what he wants.
Clearly, Rick is the leader and Morty, the follower.
While these two personalities can be seen in most people, in reality, a bit of both exists in everyone in this world.
Everyone is a mix of a leader and a follower; it just usually leans more towards one or the other.
So, apart from showing us the categories we fall into, Rick and Morty goes on to explore how these types interact and coexist.
Rick and Morty can coexist because they complement each other and exist in a strange, dysfunctional harmony.
It’s actually a pretty good explanation for why some people get along better than others. Some people need someone who just listens and follows them around (as fucked up as that relationship might be), and others might need a good balance, someone who is a blend of Rick and Morty — someone who can take initiative but also knows when to sit back and listen.
Although leaders are often more sought out, followers are just as important. As much as Rick likes to deny it, often saying that he can replace Morty with another Morty from other dimensions without second thought, its pretty obvious (and pretty damn cute) that Rick needs Morty’s attention and company to function, and Morty shows him that the world is sometimes not as terrible as he thinks it is.
I guess, the point of this article was really to not only encourage you to give the show a watch if you haven’t, but to think about your place in your relationships.
Do you complement each other like Rick and Morty?
Do you need to take more initiative if you’re with a follower?
Though analysing relationships might seem cold, it can teach us so much about ourselves, because we are shaped by our interactions with others.
So yeah, 700+ words of free advertising. You’re welcome Adult Swim.
