Satire is a creative genre that uses irony and sarcasm to criticize cultural behavior or other activities. It can be entertaining, but the primary goal is criticism. Satire can be expressed in many ways, and different types are categorized by how extreme the criticism is. Modern examples can be found in various publications, Internet sites, films, and television programs. However, one danger of satire is that the irony or sarcasm can be lost, and the people being criticized may see the work as an endorsement of their ideas or actions.
Satire is a creative genre in which criticism of a particular cultural behavior or other activity is shown through heavy use of irony and sarcasm. This kind of criticism can be entertaining, although entertainment and humor aren’t necessarily the primary goal; humor is often used to counterbalance the harshness of the criticism itself. Several methods can be used to create this criticism, although it often comes from demonstrating the ridiculous or offensive nature of an act or comment when placed in another context. It is often used in political commentary, usually to indicate how farcical or absurd something really is, and can also be used for other forms of criticism.
The primary purpose of satire is almost always criticism, although there may be secondary effects produced by it. In general, someone uses this type of criticism to demonstrate their indignation or offense at someone else’s actions or words. However, it can be expressed in many different ways and ultimately the direct criticism may seem as if a person is simply “preaching” his or her opinion to others. Using more creative methods allows someone to express their ideas in a more disarming way, allowing the critical message to come through more clearly, often through the use of wit, sarcasm and irony.
Different types of satire are often categorized by how extreme or “dark” a satirist goes with his criticism. Someone making a light-hearted joke about a recent political decision might criticize that decision, but the joke is still meant to entertain. A more extreme example of such criticism would be Jonathan Swift’s 1729 essay A Modest Proposal. In this work, Swift recommended that the poor in Ireland sell their children as food to the well-to-do English for money to feed them, an idea so clearly offensive that it crosses the bounds of decency and, in its revolting premise, makes a point of the desperation of poor and the indifference of the rich.
Modern examples can be found in various publications, Internet sites, films and television programs. Shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report were powerful outlets for political satirists in the early 21st century. The Onion’s Internet sites and publications provided similar satirical commentary on journalism and reporting during the same era. One of the dangers of satire, however, is that the irony or sarcasm can be lost and that the people being criticized themselves can see the work as an endorsement of their ideas or actions.
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