The Word for World Is Forest not only links the Athsheans to their environment, but gives primacy to the forest over the rest of the natural ecosystem. The Athsheans' clans are named after trees, and their highly decentralized social structure is constructed in a way that resembles their ecosystem. To the Athsheans, being a mentally healthy person is equivalent to being in touch with their roots, which are closely linked to their ecosystem. In contrast, the Terrans' behavior, such as rape and murder, is attributed to their leaving "their roots behind them". In the Athshean language the word for "forest" is also the word for "world",
The Bart Wants What It Wants episode, Jean stated that the scene was written at a time when celebrity look-alikes were making "excellent livings". At one point in the episode, Bart and Greta are seen playing Scrabble, a word game manufactured by Hasbro. The music cue that plays before and after Skinner's comedy routine is based on the intro music from the American television sitcom "Seinfeld". The episode title is a reference to the common phrase "the heart wants what it wants". In its original American broadcast, "The Bart Wants What It Wants" received a 6.1 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, translating to approximately 6.4