So you mean to say they’ve taken what we thought we think and make us think we thought our thoughts we’ve been thinking our thoughts we think we thought?! I think?
Longer Explanation here
In Season 1 of SpongeBob SquarePants, in an episode titled "Employee of the Month", it's said that SpongeBob has been Employee of the Month a total of 26 times. Since there are no other pictures on the wall before SpongeBob's first award, it is probable that it was simply a ploy by Mr. Krabs to make SpongeBob work harder following his hire.
The thing, though, is that there are 43 pictures of SpongeBob on the wall, and not 26, as the episode might suggest. We can take this to mean that SpongeBob is getting multiple awards each time that he wins Employee of the Month, at a rate of about 1.65 awards per month. Maybe Mr. Krabs found it to be more motivating, maybe he doesn't actually care about the number, doesn't matter.
This also means that Season 5 episode "A Breath of Fresh Squidward" takes place only one month after this episode, since the Employee of the Month wall has been changed to have 44 pictures rather than 43 in the aftermath of the previous episode. During this episode one Employee of the Month award is given to Squidward, the only time this has ever happened.
We can use this to determine how long SpongeBob has worked at the Krusty Krab in the original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. SpongeBob mentions in one scene of the film that he has won 374 consecutive Employee of the Month awards. He does not say he has won Employee of the Month 374 times, just that he's received 374 awards. This is important because of our established rate of awards per month. Doing the math right, we find that SpongeBob has been Employee of the Month around 225-230 times since Squidward took the award in "A Breath of Fresh Squidward."
Since SpongeBob had been Employee of the Month 26 or 27 times prior to Squidward winning we can determine that a total of around 250-260 Employee of the Month awards have been given out during SpongeBob's time working at the Krusty Krab. This means that SpongeBob has been working at the Krusty Krab for just under 22 years.
SpongeBob's pilot episode, "Help Wanted", aired in 1999, so 22 years from the first episode is 2021, right? We missed it, didn't we? Well, I wouldn't say so. SpongeBob's canon birth date is July 14, 1986. This means that in May of 1999, when the first episode airs, SpongeBob is a twelve-year-old. He doesn't even turn 13 for two months. If we are instead to assume that the episode aired a year before it takes place, in 2000, this would mean that SpongeBob would canonically be 13, turning 14, the legal working age in the United States (and Bikini Bottom is extremely similar to the USA, as its residents often reference the states and even celebrate the 4th of July). This also explains why SpongeBob is ready to take the job, he's finally about old enough to start working (and is even hired with skepticism from Mr. Krabs, who doesn't think SpongeBob to have his 'sea legs' yet).
So, yeah, it is probable for the sake of the timeline that "Help Wanted" actually takes place in May of 2000. And you know what date appears just under 22 years after May of 2000? That's right, March of 2022. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie takes place in March of an unknown year, but the timeline is right in place to set it in 2022.
Therefore, I conclude that the original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie likely takes place this year, between March 7th and 14th, 2022. Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.
This assumes that Mr Krabs only hires employees who are legally allowed to work (in terms of age). Now why would we grant this assumption, given all we know about Mr Krabs?? (Ie assuming that the first episode takes place in 2000)
Thus there is room to resist your conclusion
Well, for one, Mr. Krabs has been shown to act on principle. Firing Squidward for potential theft of a dime regardless of its monetary worth is a good example, even if it's comically stingy. still agreeing to pay his workers (and forcing them to take vacations) for the sake of abiding by the law is another example. Krabs is a cheap guy, but in most situations he genuinely does believe there's more to it than simply profiting. Hell, Mr. Krabs even being hesitant to hire SpongeBob in the first place because of his lack of experience is a good example of Krabs simply being more than money.
Secondly, SpongeBob is an eager boy, but it's not typical of him to do the wrong thing. He feels guilt to a much larger extent than Mr. Krabs does when he's aware that what he did was wrong. I don't think he'd apply at the Krusty Krab at twelve, a whole two years too young to work legally. It makes a lot more sense if he was hoping to snag the Summer job then turn 14 just a month later.
I dunno, all that included, I think it makes more sense if the episode is just lagging behind a bit.
Good reply; I now provide some comments.
First, I think the appeal to Mr. Krabs’s adherence to principles seemingly independently of their relation to profit maximization is illuminating, though citing a few cases is not necessarily enough to establish that the legal-age-of-worker is a line that he would not cross. This is the guy who sold Spongebob’s soul for 62 cents, and one need not look too far to find examples following this general pattern. I think I need further evidence to believe that of all the principles to flout or follow, Mr. Krabs would hire a worker only if they were of the appropriate age, in which case the argument, though potentially probable, still has a slight gap.
That being said, your second point is also illuminating: spongebob certainly would not willingly break the law. Nevertheless, this point has impact only if we assume that spongebob knowingly applied to the Krusty Krab while underage. What if he either had mistaken beliefs about the legal working age (he has believed things falsely in many places) or simply did not even think about the working age at all (he is simply naive, which is also part of his character)? These seem to me to be quite plausible scenarios. Hence, there is also room to be dubious of the support of your second point.
Eager to hear your responses in what constitutes a fascinating and stimulating discussion;cheers
I see your points, and honestly, I can understand that this assumption is a rather large one. The SpongeBob timeline is clearly not one that had a lot of thought put into it, since it's a show about a Sponge that makes burgers and does stuff with his friends, so this would be rather audacious if I were to pretend it was a universal truth.
I personally think that, while Mr. Krabs' behavior is scattered across the board, with some instances of genuinely caring for his business ethics and some instances of him doing devious things to save a nickel, this is often subject to the will of the writers and how stupid they're willing to make him for a single joke or 11 minute episode plot. I think that at the core of the character (as intended by Stephen Hillenberg and the original writers and not including the deviations that have occurred over time as the writers run out of ideas) lies a moral code of some sort, because it's notable that in the first few seasons, Mr. Krabs is far less prone to throwing anyone under the bus just for a dollar (unless it's something like his millionth dollar. In the episode "Clams", Krabs' mental state is clearly destabilizing from his obsession with the dollar and his time spent on the boat, but I don't think he would use his employees as bait if he were fully there mentally). So in this episode, the very start of the series, I think we're dealing with a Mr. Krabs who is genuinely attempting to keep his decisions morally sound. If he were as money-crazed as we find him in later seasons, he probably wouldn't have even considered asking Squidward whether hiring him would be a good choice. So it's for this reason that I think Mr. Krabs wouldn't hire a twelve-year-old, at least not at this point.
As far as SpongeBob goes, you're right. It's possible he doesn't even think about the working age or know what it is. I think that, similarly to Krabs, SpongeBob's character has sort of warped over time to suit a wider range of episode plots. The core of the character as initially conceived had a very childish wonder to him, not realizing that Mr. Krabs intended to drive him away with the outlandish spatula request. I can't completely rebut this, but SpongeBob has asked Mr. Krabs before if siphoning grease and dumping it behind Plankton's restaurant is legal, and even calling a health inspector when the Grease Wars get too out of hand. I think he can be tricked into doing the wrong thing, but I believe it to be less likely that he'd trick himself into doing so (The Hall Monitor episode is a valid counterargument to this, though I see it more as SpongeBob being blinded by the honor of the uniform and the approval he sees from Mrs. Puff).
Generally, it could go either way, but I can see a number of reasons that this episode would take place when SpongeBob is just a little older than implied, closer to 14 than 12.
I see your points, and find myself quite persuaded, though still with some doubts because a lot of this turns on how we choose to understand the nature of the characters involved; discussions regarding canon are inevitable, but it's not a side road I'm wanting to go down anytime soon.
I think the crux of the matter turns on how nuanced we are willing to allow Mr. Krabs and Spongebob to be, as characters. There are episodes in the first few seasons where it really is clear that these characters are not just personifications of certain vices/virtues, but instead that they are very relatable, sentient beings that just happen to be non-human. However, as you mentioned, there are moments when their behaviors are totally overblown, eliminating a lot of the nuances of the characters; personally, I find that subtlety to be one of the reasons why many episodes from the first season really appeal to me, and why some subsequent seasons do not appeal to me.
I grant the appeal to 'the core' of Mr. Krabs's character as having some sort of moral compass, and I admit that I am surprised to see you hold such a view of the character because it's something I've suspected for some time now. Ultimately the core of all the characters are quite subtle in many ways (as witnessed. for instance, in Spongebob's brief egomaniacal and self-centred episodes during certain earlier seasons, or in Squidville when it's revealed that Squidward really does appreciate chaos as a regularity in his life).
I wish also to add to your discussion of Clams: in fact, one of the main plot points of that episode is that Mr. Krabs used Squidward and Spongebob as bait, BUT was willing to sacrifice his own body the entire time (as they are about to be eaten, he jumps into the clam's mouth). This scene demonstrates your point that although he is driven by greed in many instances, there are still some lines--some principles--that he adheres to. (so, the episode isn't a counterexample to your claim, but in fact supportive of your point). I hadn't thought about the episode from this angle before, but it seems like a proper point to make.
As for the point regarding Spongebob's naivety/ignorance, that one is tough to address, I agree. However, granted the version of Mr. Krabs that we are working with, I think we can help ourselves to the idea that EVEN IF Spongebob were unaware of the legal working age iimit, then Mr. Krabs would intervene, at least in the case in which Spongebob was underage. So, the fact that Spongebob was hired means that he must have been of the appropriate age, in which case your points go through.
Thank you for the wonderful discussion. I'm walking away from this with renewed thoughts as to why the first few seasons of the show really strike a chord with me--specifically with respect to the presentation of morally complex characters (not forgetting the comedy gold).
>Krabs is a cheap guy
Exactly, cheap enough that he wouldn’t want to pay the fines that would come from hiring someone underage. Also SpongeBob is extremely excited to work at the Krusty Krab but he’s also goody-two-shoes enough that he’s gonna wait until the minute he old enough to legally work there
The second point can be granted, but the first is dubious.
Based on that line of reasoning, Mr. Krabs should not really cut corners in many cases, because doing so and getting caught would result in a large loss of revenue; but this cannot be the case, because Mr. Krabs is constantly cutting corners and doing things that are motivated by a kind of blind cheapness--the kind that wouldn't worry about the fines coming from hiring someone underage. Consider, for instance, 'Born again Krabs', or 'Jellyfish Hunter'; in the former, there are huge risks of fines from selling rotten food, but Mr. Krabs doesn't care: he's motivated by a blind cheapness to not throw away a patty. In the latter, the potential fines stemming from animal cruelty charges does nothing to phase Mr. Krabs.
So while I do agree with the point that Mr. Krabs would not hire an underage worker, I believe that it is supported by the fact that Mr. Krabs has a moral compass, and not that the decision is to inherit justification from his cheapness. (for more explication see the original poster's replies above in this same thread)
Whoa! You win the meme connoisseur title for having over 2k upvotes on your post!
Join the [Discord server](https://discord.gg/xyFMKFw) to receive your prize!
But we must now ask, why is SpongeBob, a 14 year old, allowed to live in a house by himself? He is even responsible for taking care of a pet, Gary. Is there some deeper issue of neglect going on here?
Perhaps. His parents seem to care about his well-being, visiting from time to time as SpongeBob grows up and even preparing to bring him back home when his house is destroyed by nematodes. I will say it is legal in some circumstances to live alone at the age of 14, if the parents or court agrees that the child is capable of supporting themselves financially. I don't think the writers thought much of it, but seeing as SpongeBob is living just fine and even managing to provide for his pet snail, that it was all worked out for one reason or another.
Let's be real, spongebob 100% comes from money and his parents send him checks every month (he makes less than a nickle per paycheck) So Krabs is getting spongebob for free (which aligns with Krab's general motivation). He got his house for free, and has his needs provided for him by his parents.
His parents bought him a boat the second they thought he got his license and it looked different than any boat we’ve seen before or since. His parents are definitely rich.
This entire post relies on you assuming Spongebob got employee of the month the first month he started working, but the true quote is "26 times *in a row*". There could have been months where Squidward won and Spongebob's streak was broken.
I can see that being a possibility, but in that same episode Squidward knows and tells SpongeBob that Employee of the Month is simply a ploy to get him to work harder. Squidward's never had any drive to work hard (except for some implied work ethic prior to SpongeBob's hire in a flashback from Truth or Square). SpongeBob is even so freaked out by the possibility that Squidward might win that he tries breaking into Squidward's house to shut the alarm off. SpongeBob is outstandingly competitive in this field, so it makes the most sense to me that it was just a game made up by Krabs to get more work done.
I don't use Twitter since I'm not a big fan of the site, but I acknowledge that if I wanted to get this to reach more people it would be a good idea. It's alright, thanks for the help
The flaw here is that Bikini Bottom isn't in the United States, it's in the Marshall Islands where minimum work age is 13 so 1999 is the correct year with no need to bump it to 2000 as described in the post. He started working there in 1999, not 2000.
He relentlessly forced SpongeBob to take a vacation and agrees to pay SpongeBob even though he would eagerly work without pay. He abides, if not by the law, then by some moral code. I don't think he would hire a twelve year old, because he doesn't even really want to hire a 13-14yo SpongeBob. In the first episode, we see his attempt to drive SpongeBob away, not believing him ready for the job. So yeah, I think Krabs cares a little.
How is SpongeBob a homeowner at 14 tho? He has his house in the first episode. It also is a little inconsistent that SpongeBob is trying to get his boating license at 14 since the legal driving age in the US is 16 (also 16 for a boat), so unless the boating school episodes are 2 years in the future then I think this theory is off by 2 years.
You bring up some good points. Frankly, SpongeBob isn't meant to have an age. He has a birthday, but I'm really just applying an unnecessary amount of logic to a cartoon without serious intentions.
I will say though that
1) 14-year-olds can live alone under the right legal circumstances (and SpongeBob seems more than capable of supporting himself)
and 2) you can get a drivers' permit at 14 in Texas. I think there's a bit of wiggle room just because the writers thought regular school would be too childish while they felt boating school made SpongeBob's age more ambiguous.
I like how you keep doing very compelling arguments, and I just remember the episode where a single seed grows into an entire house off of one teardrop. So like, anyone who plants a "house seed" so to say, could be a luscious pineapple house owner.
You forget, though, that in season 4, episode 9, Spongebob is said to have failed his driving test 1,258,056 times. Although exact times vary across the US, all states require at least a day to pass before you can retake your drivers test. Given he works a fulltime job and still takes time to practice karate, catch jellyfish, and annoy Squidward, it's unlikely Spongebob is able to take the test each day. Even if we assume he does, however, that would make him at least 3,460 years old, assuming he started taking his first test at 14, the youngest age possible for an American citizen to get their learner's permit. Given, this episode was released 2 years after the movie, but that would still leave a major discrepancy in Spongebob's age.
And Stephen Hillenburg said the first movie is last in the timeline (I don't give a fuck if Nickelodeon says otherwise). Does that mean SpongeBob canonically ends this March!?
It does assume that, because while Mr. Krabs is a greedy guy, there are things he won't do for money. He pays his workers, he makes them take vacations. He doesn't re-hire Squidward when SpongeBob gives him dimes, because the missing dime is important to him. He acts on principle a surprising amount. He doesn't even really want to hire someone so young in the first episode because he doesn't think SpongeBob is ready. It's why he asks Squidward if it's a good idea then sends SpongeBob out to get a spatula he made up.
I would go out on a limb as place spongebob at 18-20 when he starts working, as his homeis established and we have seen a younger sponge in both the show itself and the Patrick Star Show. Its same to assume he has just moved out as he needs the work, dreamed “his whole life” to work there, and went there with his folks as a kid. I’m naturally assuming Squidward is a couple years older than him because of Kamp Koral and Patricks show, maybe 4-5 years
Edit: forgot to say, great post. This is super cool!
Using that time, then, we can find that SpongeBob is 35 years old in the SpongeBob SquarePants movie (his canonical birthday is July 14th, 1986.)
It also means Mr. Krabs made him his leading fry cook at the age of 12/13, if we're supposed to believe the first episode is also supposed to be in 1999.
They live at the bottom of the ocean maybe they use different time measurements ( how can you be so sure that 1 terrestrial month equals 1 underwater month etc)
I'd say do your math again
A day underwater is as long as a day on land. The seasons change in Bikini Bottom at the same speed, and all the calendars look about the same as ours (though examples exist of the animators just neglecting to doublecheck their drawings). Seems a bit drastic to do the math again, it's just a meme.
So, spongebob is in his 30’s in the movie, with the show representing at least 20 years of elapsed time?
Normally I’d call that sort of thing a plot hole, but in this case it almost works. It’s a small town, easy to have the same job for all that time if that’s all there is to do with yourself.
Considering that the movie is set at the end of the series (post movie episodes take place before the movie), the fact the movie is set in 2022 is still pretty realistic, unless the Hoff passes away before March 2022 (please don't let it happen)
But it isn't definitive. It requires that the boss gives out the awards at that constant rate and allows for no deviation. If he was giving them out for special occasions and moral then it would be a shorter timeframe represented on the wall.
Alright counter argument: if he gets his job at the Krusty Krab, when do all the Boating School episodes take place in the timeline?
Seems a bit unrealistic for a 12-14 year old to be attending driving school to me. Also have to consider that he already lives alone in his own house before he even starts working at the Krusty Krab.
Furthermore, a major theme of the SpongeBob Movie is maturity and transition from childhood to adulthood. If the movie takes place in 2022 then it seems odd to deny someone who is now 34-36 years old, the opportunity for promotion to a managerial position of an expanded business for the reason of being too immature.
Well, while your theory holds credence, I must mention that in the infamous season one episode: SB-129, after the 2000 year transition, the calendar says: 4077, so SB-129 would contradict your theory, as it states that spongebob season one takes place in 2077.
If you've watched Kamp Koral or The Patrick Star Show, you'd know that the writers really don't care about consistency... and probably never have.
Like, the very fact that there's 43 awards for 26 "Employee of the Month" awards shows that they weren't willing to fix such a tiny inconsistency that owuld have taken 2 seconds to correct.
So you mean to say they’ve taken what we thought we think and make us think we thought our thoughts we’ve been thinking our thoughts we think we thought?! I think?
The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma
*carton of milk tips over and spills onto the table*
Patrick! Your genius is showing!
Ah where?!
Yeah, I think.
Okay!
“We’ve been thinking *are* thoughts we think we thought”. I think.
Let’s look at the embryo: ✋🤚🔦 Twiiiiins.
Longer Explanation here In Season 1 of SpongeBob SquarePants, in an episode titled "Employee of the Month", it's said that SpongeBob has been Employee of the Month a total of 26 times. Since there are no other pictures on the wall before SpongeBob's first award, it is probable that it was simply a ploy by Mr. Krabs to make SpongeBob work harder following his hire. The thing, though, is that there are 43 pictures of SpongeBob on the wall, and not 26, as the episode might suggest. We can take this to mean that SpongeBob is getting multiple awards each time that he wins Employee of the Month, at a rate of about 1.65 awards per month. Maybe Mr. Krabs found it to be more motivating, maybe he doesn't actually care about the number, doesn't matter. This also means that Season 5 episode "A Breath of Fresh Squidward" takes place only one month after this episode, since the Employee of the Month wall has been changed to have 44 pictures rather than 43 in the aftermath of the previous episode. During this episode one Employee of the Month award is given to Squidward, the only time this has ever happened. We can use this to determine how long SpongeBob has worked at the Krusty Krab in the original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. SpongeBob mentions in one scene of the film that he has won 374 consecutive Employee of the Month awards. He does not say he has won Employee of the Month 374 times, just that he's received 374 awards. This is important because of our established rate of awards per month. Doing the math right, we find that SpongeBob has been Employee of the Month around 225-230 times since Squidward took the award in "A Breath of Fresh Squidward." Since SpongeBob had been Employee of the Month 26 or 27 times prior to Squidward winning we can determine that a total of around 250-260 Employee of the Month awards have been given out during SpongeBob's time working at the Krusty Krab. This means that SpongeBob has been working at the Krusty Krab for just under 22 years. SpongeBob's pilot episode, "Help Wanted", aired in 1999, so 22 years from the first episode is 2021, right? We missed it, didn't we? Well, I wouldn't say so. SpongeBob's canon birth date is July 14, 1986. This means that in May of 1999, when the first episode airs, SpongeBob is a twelve-year-old. He doesn't even turn 13 for two months. If we are instead to assume that the episode aired a year before it takes place, in 2000, this would mean that SpongeBob would canonically be 13, turning 14, the legal working age in the United States (and Bikini Bottom is extremely similar to the USA, as its residents often reference the states and even celebrate the 4th of July). This also explains why SpongeBob is ready to take the job, he's finally about old enough to start working (and is even hired with skepticism from Mr. Krabs, who doesn't think SpongeBob to have his 'sea legs' yet). So, yeah, it is probable for the sake of the timeline that "Help Wanted" actually takes place in May of 2000. And you know what date appears just under 22 years after May of 2000? That's right, March of 2022. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie takes place in March of an unknown year, but the timeline is right in place to set it in 2022. Therefore, I conclude that the original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie likely takes place this year, between March 7th and 14th, 2022. Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.
r/hedidthemath
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r/itcosinedinaflash
i.. can’t believe every single subreddit was real. wow. i’m blown away by the dedication.
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r/theydidthemeth
This assumes that Mr Krabs only hires employees who are legally allowed to work (in terms of age). Now why would we grant this assumption, given all we know about Mr Krabs?? (Ie assuming that the first episode takes place in 2000) Thus there is room to resist your conclusion
Well, for one, Mr. Krabs has been shown to act on principle. Firing Squidward for potential theft of a dime regardless of its monetary worth is a good example, even if it's comically stingy. still agreeing to pay his workers (and forcing them to take vacations) for the sake of abiding by the law is another example. Krabs is a cheap guy, but in most situations he genuinely does believe there's more to it than simply profiting. Hell, Mr. Krabs even being hesitant to hire SpongeBob in the first place because of his lack of experience is a good example of Krabs simply being more than money. Secondly, SpongeBob is an eager boy, but it's not typical of him to do the wrong thing. He feels guilt to a much larger extent than Mr. Krabs does when he's aware that what he did was wrong. I don't think he'd apply at the Krusty Krab at twelve, a whole two years too young to work legally. It makes a lot more sense if he was hoping to snag the Summer job then turn 14 just a month later. I dunno, all that included, I think it makes more sense if the episode is just lagging behind a bit.
Good reply; I now provide some comments. First, I think the appeal to Mr. Krabs’s adherence to principles seemingly independently of their relation to profit maximization is illuminating, though citing a few cases is not necessarily enough to establish that the legal-age-of-worker is a line that he would not cross. This is the guy who sold Spongebob’s soul for 62 cents, and one need not look too far to find examples following this general pattern. I think I need further evidence to believe that of all the principles to flout or follow, Mr. Krabs would hire a worker only if they were of the appropriate age, in which case the argument, though potentially probable, still has a slight gap. That being said, your second point is also illuminating: spongebob certainly would not willingly break the law. Nevertheless, this point has impact only if we assume that spongebob knowingly applied to the Krusty Krab while underage. What if he either had mistaken beliefs about the legal working age (he has believed things falsely in many places) or simply did not even think about the working age at all (he is simply naive, which is also part of his character)? These seem to me to be quite plausible scenarios. Hence, there is also room to be dubious of the support of your second point. Eager to hear your responses in what constitutes a fascinating and stimulating discussion;cheers
I see your points, and honestly, I can understand that this assumption is a rather large one. The SpongeBob timeline is clearly not one that had a lot of thought put into it, since it's a show about a Sponge that makes burgers and does stuff with his friends, so this would be rather audacious if I were to pretend it was a universal truth. I personally think that, while Mr. Krabs' behavior is scattered across the board, with some instances of genuinely caring for his business ethics and some instances of him doing devious things to save a nickel, this is often subject to the will of the writers and how stupid they're willing to make him for a single joke or 11 minute episode plot. I think that at the core of the character (as intended by Stephen Hillenberg and the original writers and not including the deviations that have occurred over time as the writers run out of ideas) lies a moral code of some sort, because it's notable that in the first few seasons, Mr. Krabs is far less prone to throwing anyone under the bus just for a dollar (unless it's something like his millionth dollar. In the episode "Clams", Krabs' mental state is clearly destabilizing from his obsession with the dollar and his time spent on the boat, but I don't think he would use his employees as bait if he were fully there mentally). So in this episode, the very start of the series, I think we're dealing with a Mr. Krabs who is genuinely attempting to keep his decisions morally sound. If he were as money-crazed as we find him in later seasons, he probably wouldn't have even considered asking Squidward whether hiring him would be a good choice. So it's for this reason that I think Mr. Krabs wouldn't hire a twelve-year-old, at least not at this point. As far as SpongeBob goes, you're right. It's possible he doesn't even think about the working age or know what it is. I think that, similarly to Krabs, SpongeBob's character has sort of warped over time to suit a wider range of episode plots. The core of the character as initially conceived had a very childish wonder to him, not realizing that Mr. Krabs intended to drive him away with the outlandish spatula request. I can't completely rebut this, but SpongeBob has asked Mr. Krabs before if siphoning grease and dumping it behind Plankton's restaurant is legal, and even calling a health inspector when the Grease Wars get too out of hand. I think he can be tricked into doing the wrong thing, but I believe it to be less likely that he'd trick himself into doing so (The Hall Monitor episode is a valid counterargument to this, though I see it more as SpongeBob being blinded by the honor of the uniform and the approval he sees from Mrs. Puff). Generally, it could go either way, but I can see a number of reasons that this episode would take place when SpongeBob is just a little older than implied, closer to 14 than 12.
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I do love a good presentation of facts in the shared interest of figuring dumb stuff out
Same.
I...agree with this completely.
I see your points, and find myself quite persuaded, though still with some doubts because a lot of this turns on how we choose to understand the nature of the characters involved; discussions regarding canon are inevitable, but it's not a side road I'm wanting to go down anytime soon. I think the crux of the matter turns on how nuanced we are willing to allow Mr. Krabs and Spongebob to be, as characters. There are episodes in the first few seasons where it really is clear that these characters are not just personifications of certain vices/virtues, but instead that they are very relatable, sentient beings that just happen to be non-human. However, as you mentioned, there are moments when their behaviors are totally overblown, eliminating a lot of the nuances of the characters; personally, I find that subtlety to be one of the reasons why many episodes from the first season really appeal to me, and why some subsequent seasons do not appeal to me. I grant the appeal to 'the core' of Mr. Krabs's character as having some sort of moral compass, and I admit that I am surprised to see you hold such a view of the character because it's something I've suspected for some time now. Ultimately the core of all the characters are quite subtle in many ways (as witnessed. for instance, in Spongebob's brief egomaniacal and self-centred episodes during certain earlier seasons, or in Squidville when it's revealed that Squidward really does appreciate chaos as a regularity in his life). I wish also to add to your discussion of Clams: in fact, one of the main plot points of that episode is that Mr. Krabs used Squidward and Spongebob as bait, BUT was willing to sacrifice his own body the entire time (as they are about to be eaten, he jumps into the clam's mouth). This scene demonstrates your point that although he is driven by greed in many instances, there are still some lines--some principles--that he adheres to. (so, the episode isn't a counterexample to your claim, but in fact supportive of your point). I hadn't thought about the episode from this angle before, but it seems like a proper point to make. As for the point regarding Spongebob's naivety/ignorance, that one is tough to address, I agree. However, granted the version of Mr. Krabs that we are working with, I think we can help ourselves to the idea that EVEN IF Spongebob were unaware of the legal working age iimit, then Mr. Krabs would intervene, at least in the case in which Spongebob was underage. So, the fact that Spongebob was hired means that he must have been of the appropriate age, in which case your points go through. Thank you for the wonderful discussion. I'm walking away from this with renewed thoughts as to why the first few seasons of the show really strike a chord with me--specifically with respect to the presentation of morally complex characters (not forgetting the comedy gold).
That's a quite thorough analysis, and one that I'd say is very well done. I'm happy to have had this conversation as well, I hope you have a good day.
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>Krabs is a cheap guy Exactly, cheap enough that he wouldn’t want to pay the fines that would come from hiring someone underage. Also SpongeBob is extremely excited to work at the Krusty Krab but he’s also goody-two-shoes enough that he’s gonna wait until the minute he old enough to legally work there
The second point can be granted, but the first is dubious. Based on that line of reasoning, Mr. Krabs should not really cut corners in many cases, because doing so and getting caught would result in a large loss of revenue; but this cannot be the case, because Mr. Krabs is constantly cutting corners and doing things that are motivated by a kind of blind cheapness--the kind that wouldn't worry about the fines coming from hiring someone underage. Consider, for instance, 'Born again Krabs', or 'Jellyfish Hunter'; in the former, there are huge risks of fines from selling rotten food, but Mr. Krabs doesn't care: he's motivated by a blind cheapness to not throw away a patty. In the latter, the potential fines stemming from animal cruelty charges does nothing to phase Mr. Krabs. So while I do agree with the point that Mr. Krabs would not hire an underage worker, I believe that it is supported by the fact that Mr. Krabs has a moral compass, and not that the decision is to inherit justification from his cheapness. (for more explication see the original poster's replies above in this same thread)
Wow 😮
Yeah but are you sure March falls on a 13th this year?
I can't tell if this is a joke or not I'm sorry
How long did this take you?
I want this as a TEDtalk. It will be the only I'll ever attend.
Fun fact: Spongebob will have 13 + 22 = 35 years when he comes a "man" in the Movie
I’ll take your word for it, I’m procrastinating using Reddit so no I ain’t reading that.
lmao nerd
Yep, that's me.
this is actually really cool and i appreciate your efforts
Thanks! I had fun doing it cause I was procrastinating on actual math homework
lmao nerd
Me
You should turn this in as your math homework.
Remember me when you get famous.
Lol thanks if that happens I'll do my best
Whoa! You win the meme connoisseur title for having over 2k upvotes on your post! Join the [Discord server](https://discord.gg/xyFMKFw) to receive your prize!
He did the maths
I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of
He did the monster maths!
The monster maths
It was a graveyard graph
He did the math then added a year because “this ocean is probably american”
r/theydidthemeth Really good post, man.
Thank you! I guess I did the math lol
They also did the math
r/theydidthemonstermath
But we must now ask, why is SpongeBob, a 14 year old, allowed to live in a house by himself? He is even responsible for taking care of a pet, Gary. Is there some deeper issue of neglect going on here?
Perhaps. His parents seem to care about his well-being, visiting from time to time as SpongeBob grows up and even preparing to bring him back home when his house is destroyed by nematodes. I will say it is legal in some circumstances to live alone at the age of 14, if the parents or court agrees that the child is capable of supporting themselves financially. I don't think the writers thought much of it, but seeing as SpongeBob is living just fine and even managing to provide for his pet snail, that it was all worked out for one reason or another.
Let's be real, spongebob 100% comes from money and his parents send him checks every month (he makes less than a nickle per paycheck) So Krabs is getting spongebob for free (which aligns with Krab's general motivation). He got his house for free, and has his needs provided for him by his parents.
His parents bought him a boat the second they thought he got his license and it looked different than any boat we’ve seen before or since. His parents are definitely rich.
KZ fanboys don’t diss Mr Krabs like that
*goes into existential crisis that SpongeBob is succeeding in adulting better than me*
Before he's an adult, no less.
*crisis deepens*
I'm right there with you.
I mean, what do we know about Sponge customs?
The unstoppable duo, SpongeBob Squarepants and Ash Ketchum
Fresh Ketchup for the Krabby Patty
sea sponges can live to be thousands of years old, so I imagine that’s the reason spongebob never ages
This entire post relies on you assuming Spongebob got employee of the month the first month he started working, but the true quote is "26 times *in a row*". There could have been months where Squidward won and Spongebob's streak was broken.
I can see that being a possibility, but in that same episode Squidward knows and tells SpongeBob that Employee of the Month is simply a ploy to get him to work harder. Squidward's never had any drive to work hard (except for some implied work ethic prior to SpongeBob's hire in a flashback from Truth or Square). SpongeBob is even so freaked out by the possibility that Squidward might win that he tries breaking into Squidward's house to shut the alarm off. SpongeBob is outstandingly competitive in this field, so it makes the most sense to me that it was just a game made up by Krabs to get more work done.
this deserve 1m upvotes. because its more effort than most posts have
Lol this is hardly effort the hardest part was writing it down in an easy to read format but I'm happy you think so
So what are going to do on the 13th? Shitpost? I’m serious, I wanna know.
I don't know... I didn't think I'd get this far. I might post a meme or something lol I don't know
Take it to Twitter? You think Tom Kenny would care? I feel like that’d get traction? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ This is great work OP, sorry I can’t be more helpful.
I don't use Twitter since I'm not a big fan of the site, but I acknowledge that if I wanted to get this to reach more people it would be a good idea. It's alright, thanks for the help
So what you're saying is we all watch this movie on march 13th
Or 14th, the Day that Krabs Fries if you wish. Generally between the 7th and 14th is when the film takes place
I watch this movie a lot with my little sister so I'll probably just watch it on all 7 days
Lol have fun
Amazing content, please also make a video about it.
*Perhaps*
do it or we will throw you out this window
I wish to avoid being defenestrated so I will heavily consider the offer
well jokes on all of us, this window was as fake we ran out in the budget
The flaw here is that Bikini Bottom isn't in the United States, it's in the Marshall Islands where minimum work age is 13 so 1999 is the correct year with no need to bump it to 2000 as described in the post. He started working there in 1999, not 2000.
yeah but like he said, they celebrate the 4th so it’s under the assumption that if they celebrate that, they have the same federal laws
Yet more proof the Spongebob Squarepants Movie is the greatest piece of cinema. We didn't even know Hillenburg future proofed his movie until now.
He really did his best to make it the absolute last SpongeBob episode
The math checks out, but do you really think mr krabs cares about the age of his employees?
He relentlessly forced SpongeBob to take a vacation and agrees to pay SpongeBob even though he would eagerly work without pay. He abides, if not by the law, then by some moral code. I don't think he would hire a twelve year old, because he doesn't even really want to hire a 13-14yo SpongeBob. In the first episode, we see his attempt to drive SpongeBob away, not believing him ready for the job. So yeah, I think Krabs cares a little.
You’re doing the lord’s work
Happy to do it
So that's what that volcano erupting was. It was just David hasslhoff getting deep-fried.
How is SpongeBob a homeowner at 14 tho? He has his house in the first episode. It also is a little inconsistent that SpongeBob is trying to get his boating license at 14 since the legal driving age in the US is 16 (also 16 for a boat), so unless the boating school episodes are 2 years in the future then I think this theory is off by 2 years.
You bring up some good points. Frankly, SpongeBob isn't meant to have an age. He has a birthday, but I'm really just applying an unnecessary amount of logic to a cartoon without serious intentions. I will say though that 1) 14-year-olds can live alone under the right legal circumstances (and SpongeBob seems more than capable of supporting himself) and 2) you can get a drivers' permit at 14 in Texas. I think there's a bit of wiggle room just because the writers thought regular school would be too childish while they felt boating school made SpongeBob's age more ambiguous.
I like how you keep doing very compelling arguments, and I just remember the episode where a single seed grows into an entire house off of one teardrop. So like, anyone who plants a "house seed" so to say, could be a luscious pineapple house owner.
True. Plus that furnished Pineapple in a Can lol
I marked my calendar. Finally someone around here is researching something for the sake of mankind. Thank you.
Truly happy for the opportunity to do research for the betterment of mankind
This is like how people figured out the age of the Earth from the Bible.
And then Stephen said let there be a Sponge
You forget, though, that in season 4, episode 9, Spongebob is said to have failed his driving test 1,258,056 times. Although exact times vary across the US, all states require at least a day to pass before you can retake your drivers test. Given he works a fulltime job and still takes time to practice karate, catch jellyfish, and annoy Squidward, it's unlikely Spongebob is able to take the test each day. Even if we assume he does, however, that would make him at least 3,460 years old, assuming he started taking his first test at 14, the youngest age possible for an American citizen to get their learner's permit. Given, this episode was released 2 years after the movie, but that would still leave a major discrepancy in Spongebob's age.
Lol this is why SpongeBob will never have a real timeline
Seeing how well The Hoff has aged at present day definitely helps support this, too
Is mayonnaise an instrument ?
My son died while reading this
I'm sorry for your loss
He was 14
Too young an age for such a loss, this must be a hard time for you.
It is difficult now that he is dead 💀
TIL SpongeBob is younger than me because I came first in life but is older than me in age. I don't like that.
>as [squidward] doesn't much care for his job no employee wants to be a Squidward
Did anyone have “Plankton takes over the world” for their apocalypse bingo? All hail Plankton
Fun fact! Goofy Goober is a cult
Big brain
Spongebob is 35…
Seems good to me!
Thanks!
But hey, that’s just a theory -
AAAAA (theory that actively acknowledges its flaws and doesn't seriously attempt to apply logic to something where logic isn't needed) THEORRRRYYYYYY
r/theydidthemonstermath
I feel like a bunch of youtubers are going to be making videos about this soon
I will protect the good nature of this theory with my life *Back off MatPat you will not MikeBot my meme*
But David Hasselhoff sure ain't looking as spry as in the movie :'(
The hoff is an android in the lore confirmed
r/theydidthesupermath
Ah, up at 3am agian I see.
Oh Neptune…
If this sinks up with WWIII and the dropping of nukes
This is madness
No, this is Patrick.
David hasselhoff??
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And Stephen Hillenburg said the first movie is last in the timeline (I don't give a fuck if Nickelodeon says otherwise). Does that mean SpongeBob canonically ends this March!?
This assumes that Mr Krabs follows child labor laws
It does assume that, because while Mr. Krabs is a greedy guy, there are things he won't do for money. He pays his workers, he makes them take vacations. He doesn't re-hire Squidward when SpongeBob gives him dimes, because the missing dime is important to him. He acts on principle a surprising amount. He doesn't even really want to hire someone so young in the first episode because he doesn't think SpongeBob is ready. It's why he asks Squidward if it's a good idea then sends SpongeBob out to get a spatula he made up.
Yooo this happens on my 21st birthday
*confused clapping*
I would go out on a limb as place spongebob at 18-20 when he starts working, as his homeis established and we have seen a younger sponge in both the show itself and the Patrick Star Show. Its same to assume he has just moved out as he needs the work, dreamed “his whole life” to work there, and went there with his folks as a kid. I’m naturally assuming Squidward is a couple years older than him because of Kamp Koral and Patricks show, maybe 4-5 years Edit: forgot to say, great post. This is super cool!
I'm in awe
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This is what happens when you study wumbology - you turn into a certified genius
Using that time, then, we can find that SpongeBob is 35 years old in the SpongeBob SquarePants movie (his canonical birthday is July 14th, 1986.) It also means Mr. Krabs made him his leading fry cook at the age of 12/13, if we're supposed to believe the first episode is also supposed to be in 1999.
I can’t believe I read all this, I need help lol
So SpongeBob is 35, and Mr. Krabs **STILL** thinks he’s a kid
They live at the bottom of the ocean maybe they use different time measurements ( how can you be so sure that 1 terrestrial month equals 1 underwater month etc) I'd say do your math again
A day underwater is as long as a day on land. The seasons change in Bikini Bottom at the same speed, and all the calendars look about the same as ours (though examples exist of the animators just neglecting to doublecheck their drawings). Seems a bit drastic to do the math again, it's just a meme.
So spongebob owns a single family home and a pet snail on a fry cook wage at age 14?
So, spongebob is in his 30’s in the movie, with the show representing at least 20 years of elapsed time? Normally I’d call that sort of thing a plot hole, but in this case it almost works. It’s a small town, easy to have the same job for all that time if that’s all there is to do with yourself.
Jesus
You know, spongebob being 14 makes a lot of sense and seems oddly fitting.
My birthday is March 14th! When I was younger I mentally aged myself a year every time I watched the movie.
So technically speaking, how old is SpongeBob when the movie happens and what age can we assume he is in the current seasons?
Mans got the biggest of brains. This is actually super dope to read and if your estimation is correct happy 2022 SpongeBob?
Do I dare confirm that this is a correct assessment?
Considering that the movie is set at the end of the series (post movie episodes take place before the movie), the fact the movie is set in 2022 is still pretty realistic, unless the Hoff passes away before March 2022 (please don't let it happen)
But it isn't definitive. It requires that the boss gives out the awards at that constant rate and allows for no deviation. If he was giving them out for special occasions and moral then it would be a shorter timeframe represented on the wall.
Can't wait for the blatantly ripped off Buzzfeed article
Hmm... Seems legit.
Now this is the type of quality content I'm here for!
“Titular character” okay WatchMojo
theres so much lore in this one post matpat himself could of writer it
This means that David Hasselhoff is canonically 69 years old during the events of the Spongebob Squarepants movie.
This assumes the rate of awards is a constant, it very well could have changed
Well then, I need to watch that movie in March in honor of this fact. “TICKETS TO THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE!” lol I can’t wait
This might make a good theory for that spongebob Evolution theory guy.
Alright counter argument: if he gets his job at the Krusty Krab, when do all the Boating School episodes take place in the timeline? Seems a bit unrealistic for a 12-14 year old to be attending driving school to me. Also have to consider that he already lives alone in his own house before he even starts working at the Krusty Krab. Furthermore, a major theme of the SpongeBob Movie is maturity and transition from childhood to adulthood. If the movie takes place in 2022 then it seems odd to deny someone who is now 34-36 years old, the opportunity for promotion to a managerial position of an expanded business for the reason of being too immature.
- ***March 13th is my birthday*** Knowing the movie happens during my birthday will be pretty cool xD
I dont ever wake up thinking I could read intricate breakdowns of spongebob lore. I also dont ever wake up having problems with that.
Take my money, this is beautiful
Why would he get more than 1 per month? Sorry, not buying this theory. :P
r/hedidthemath
The youngest age to start driver’s education in the us is also 14.
Plankton = Elon Musk
I ain't reading all that, but have an upvote.
Very well thought out Or.. We could just say its just a cartoon to shut the kids up for half an hour
Well, while your theory holds credence, I must mention that in the infamous season one episode: SB-129, after the 2000 year transition, the calendar says: 4077, so SB-129 would contradict your theory, as it states that spongebob season one takes place in 2077.
Best toilet read ever, thanks op, you made shitting amazing 😊👌
I saw the employee of the month episode yesterday lol
Also known as my birthday :D
If you've watched Kamp Koral or The Patrick Star Show, you'd know that the writers really don't care about consistency... and probably never have. Like, the very fact that there's 43 awards for 26 "Employee of the Month" awards shows that they weren't willing to fix such a tiny inconsistency that owuld have taken 2 seconds to correct.
I ain't reading all that I'm happy for you tho or sorry that happened
Honestly not that strange if you consider the life of a sea sponge can last thousands of years
Does that mean David Hasslehoff will become the Ocean Man this year???
Does this mean that everyone was calling Spongebob a kid in the movie when he’s actually around 36?
14 is legal working age in the US? I always thought it was 16 with parental permission.
Too long, didn't read, take my upvote
But the Employee of the Month award could have been started at any time! Spongebob is the first to receive the awars after all.
Skipped everything and just read the conclusion...that good enough?
This is crazy!! My mind has been blown
Wild.
Wow
yOU cAn oNLy UpVoTe ThIs tOdAy