🍿 Pinky and The Brain and The Meaning of Life

Two lab mice and the profound allegory about life, purpose, and the nature of happiness.

Pinky: "Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?"

Brain: "The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!"

Disclaimer: I am going to share with you the meaning of life… no, seriously, I am. I just wanted to say that I bet you never thought you would find it within an article about two lab mice posted on some random Friday morning!

So, what are the chances that this time, you’re pondering what I’m pondering?

Pinky and The Brain is the last cartoon of my youth that I truly adore. The cartoon, which first aired in 1995 as a spin-off from "Animaniacs," follows the nightly adventures of two laboratory mice: the genius Brain and his dim-witted but lovable companion, Pinky. Their mission? "Try to take over the world!"

I turned 18 in 1995 and I was still into watching cartoons now an then, but they had to be a little more serious. I remember that I was into Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men: The Animated Series, and Gargoyles.

In the realm of animated television, it was probably unlikely that I would watch a cartoon about a pair of lab mice, but Pinky and The Brain was more than a cartoon. It absolutely captured my imagination and made me think… and laugh, a lot.

You see, beneath the surface of this seemingly simple premise lies a profound allegory about life, purpose, and the nature of happiness.

The Nightly Ritual: A Reflection of Human Existence

Every episode begins with the same exchange:

Pinky: "Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?"

Brain: "The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!"

This repetitive cycle mirrors our own daily lives. We wake up, go to work, pursue our goals, and then start over again the next day. Like Brain, many of us have grand ambitions—our own versions of "taking over the world." But is this relentless pursuit of an elusive goal truly the key to fulfillment?

The Contrast: Brain's Ambition vs. Pinky's Contentment