The "Rise of the Gig Economy" (Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit) (Episode: "The Springfield Connection", 1997)

The Simpsons has earned quite the reputation for seemingly predicting the future. It’s actually a bit of a meme at this point, with fans pointing out how many things in the real world appear to have been "predicted" by the show, sometimes years in advance. While some of these predictions are purely coincidental or the result of broad satire, others do seem oddly prescient.

The "Rise of the Gig Economy" (Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit) (Episode: "The Springfield Connection", 1997)

• What happened: The episode pokes fun at the idea of people working flexible, non-traditional jobs, anticipating the gig economy.
• Reality: By the 2010s, companies like Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit, and Instacart transformed the job market, enabling people to work as independent contractors. These platforms provided flexible work opportunities, disrupting traditional employment models.