I think we should begin with a discussion of satire. Some definitions from different sources would be good. Let’s post them and discuss them. I have always thought of satire in relation to comedy, but Jillian rightly threw that idea away by bringing up 1984 as a satire. So let’s see where we go from here.
See the whole document on Blackboard, but Hughet who wrote a book about the Roman satirist Juvenal has these criteria for satire:1. Does it tell the truth?
- Does it tell the truth?
- Does it deal with important subjects?
- Is it effective?
I always thought satire was just some form of communication that made some relevant critique of society. It definitely can be portrayed through humor, but I think dystopic scenarios are also valid, too (such as 1984, or Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”). I even consider Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” to be satirical. It’s about making a point without literally saying it.
I have not had a lot of experience with satire in the past. When I think of comedy critiquing society, I think of shows that are out today like The Colbert Report, South Park, etc. I am not a big fan of watching the news or reading the newspapers, so I watch these shows and I am able to learn a little about whats going on in the world through comedy. Its interesting how, especially in South Park, they can mock things that are going on in society and not get in trouble for it. For me at least, these types of shows are effective because they give me a little dose of reality that I would not have learned if I didn’t watch. I think that the shows tell the truth through their opinions so it is sort of a biased truth. They are talking about a subject that may be controversial and stating their opinion about it though jokes.
Satire to me has always been a form of comedy aimed toward making fun something or someone, usually with political, cultural or social connections. Satire can be used to point out flaws, yet in a not so harsh way. Sarcasm is an aspect of satire, as one would make a comment, yet they harshly mean the exact opposite of this. Most people, at least around this area, use sarcasm in daily life. Satire often will tell the truth and sometimes will even deal with very important issues. There are many various television shows that fully rely on satire of everything from celebrities to global politics. I believe satire can be very effective as a way to communicate a point without necessarily being rude about it.
Even though I have seen or heard some form of satire through different types of media, I have never concluded with certainty that what I had just seen was satirical. This is a result of the success of one of satire’s characteristics i.e. the audience does not realize the satire in the information they have taken in. I believe this is vital to satirical presentation because it presents ideas in forms only visible to the discerning eye, and therefore avoids falling victim to being passed off as ‘just another critical assessment’.
Satire does deal with important issues, in fact, it attracts the attention of an audience who would otherwise be oblivious to the issue being addressed. Living in the Middle East, where American politics are not the hot topic of discussion, during Obama’s campaign for presidency, I would keep up with The Daily Show. Had it not been for Jon Stewart, I would not have known about Obama’s speeches, blunders, personality and philosophies prior to his election. This, I think, is an effective portrayal of information.
Satire has always been really confusing for me. It’s never been something I’ve been able to grasp a clear definition of, so I think that sometimes as someone who is analyzing it, it can be frustrating. On the other hand, being the audience of satire can be extremely enjoyable. I like how Stephanie put it that they are creating biased truths out of their opinions while I’m able to pick up some knowledge of what’s going on in the world.
I think satire can tell the truth, but satire puts inflection and extremes on topics so anyone watching satire should really be aware to take satire with a grain of salt. Satire, I believe, is equally about entertainment as it is about making a point about society. This combination makes it satire. However, sometimes I think that today in our society, we get caught up in the entertainment factor, the sparkle, the flash, and sometimes, the obscenity that is part of satire and forget to find the little truths behind the curtain.
Satire has a way of making taboo subjects, if not more comfortable, easier to work with. For example, in The Office, there are episodes about diversity, class issues, family life, education, feminism, sexual orientation, sexual situations, religion, and love. By saying things out of people’s comfort zones, they create humor and show us a version of ourselves (of our society) in a way that makes us question what we do and how we perceive what we do. I think satire is very effective because of both its entertainment factor and its educational factor. The combination of these makes it audience friendly, relatable, and enjoyable while still making us reflect on the subject matter.
I would agree with a few points Norh made. I certainly think of comedy and satire going hand in hand, but I do not necessarily initially realize it is satire. It’s, as far as what I have seen, a usually more serious form of comedy. The one exception I can think of at the moment is SNL’s Weekly Update. I always enjoy when Seth smiles or even laughs at his own jokes. Just as Jon Steward informs Norh and the happenings of the world, I would say Seth does something similar. He, along with anyone else who uses satire, offers a sort of challenge to the audience. We are so conditioned to think a certain way and follow the beliefs of our parents, friends, and colleagues that we at times forget to think independently. Satire offers the audience a chance to see another side of an event, speech, or idea, opening perspectives and giving them a chance to laugh at the serious stuff.
I agree with Jackie’s conclusion that satire is equally about making people laugh while making a point about society. However, I find it difficult to define the term, as there seems to be a fine line between satire, irony, and mockery, and all three of these literary styles are commonly used together for the same effect. For example, The Colbert Report arguably ridicules the political figures that are imitated by making its imitations of them exaggerated for comedic effect. While this is clearly satire, those who are being imitated must feel a sense of embarrassment for being mocked. To prove my point, I looked up “satire” in the Merriam-Webster thesaurus and it listed “ridicule” and “mockery” as related words.
I guess after doing some further research, I decided that my definition of satire is a literary style that uses uses sarcasm, irony, and mockery to make a point about something in society that one may consider foolish.