Fake News As An Unreliable Form Of Satire

Karl Bode discovered that satire news outlets give viewers an opportunity to gain more information than normal news outlets. Satire news host tend to be more aware of the issue at hand than normal news because they have to do actual research on the event themselves to obtain their news script. Without research the host wouldn’t be able to provide the sarcasm and humor that is needed in a satire news show. Studies at the University of Delaware have proven that viewers are more likely to watch parody news shows because it keeps their interest longer and it is more relatable to their opinions. In comparison, real news outlet do seem to be boring, although it varies in headlines and top stories unlike parody news, it is sometimes not relatable and can have a negative impact on a viewer’s mood. In an additional source, it

In the article, “The Good, the Bad, and The Daily Show”, Jason Zinser, a teacher at the University of North Florida, discusses the coverage of “fake” entertainment news. Zinser effectively argues the different benefits and disadvantages of entertaining news. When reading this article, one can find that Zinser uses emotional appeals to create a sense of intentness to his readers, uses ethical appeals to create trust from his readers, and uses logical appeals to inform readers of the difference between humorus news and undeniable news.

Satire is often regarded as one of the most effective ways to understand a society. It reveals the values of the society and serves as an amplifier for its ills. Mark Twain once said, “the human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” Satire has long been a tool of political criticism, a means to make a moral point and to “attack vice and folly using wit and ridicule”. The word satire comes from the Latin word ‘satur’ and later ‘satura’ which translates roughly to poetic medley. Through the use of art, traditionally, prose and poetry, satire has continued to make a difference in shaping public consumption and perspective of news and encouraging activism, advocacy and civil participation.

Perhaps the most important reading from this class, I feel, is the Gray, Jones, and Thompson article on satire. Although the seemingly most popular article of the class, I argue that its popularity strives from a detachment of more traditional television sources, providing a new form of cultural engagement and citizenship. As trust in clear-leaing broadcasting systems fades, satire and parody emerges as substitute, filling in the spaces of discontent and misrepresentation felt by audiences. Shows like the Daily Show “defamiliarize” norms embedded into our social-political behavior, allowing a ‘step back’, as it were, and on an individual scale philosophically scrutinize them (Gray, 9). Most significantly, elements of satire and parody facilitates

Political and social satire go hand in hand in showing examples of the past and the future. While social satire mainly focus on the current problems of society, political satire can represent a warning about the future. Both types are important to learn and understand when reading works involving satire. Putting a light on satire will help people understand satire better. Educating students about satire in schools starting at a young age will allow for students to grow up with a better understanding of satire. Satire can play such an important role in novels that it is essential that everyone understands the concept. Understanding satire will allow for people to see different viewpoints of today’s society through the authors’ eyes. Satire can add humor to a piece, yet that humor can be revealing something much different. It is important for people to be able to differentiate from the two. People first need to understand satire to see the historical importance of it or understand the hidden warning it can

Satire is a literary work that uses irony, humor, or exaggeration to expose and/or criticize a vice. Satire has the capability to take serious matters and ease tension on the entire situation. It has a way of making things easier and lighter even though it brings out hardcore facts. The satirist makes an argument that relies upon the intellect of the audience to pick up on the hidden meaning; and due to its critical and judging nature, satire is sometimes deemed as excessive. However, in Last Week Tonight Show John Oliver (Wage Gap), The Lady’s Dressing Room by Jonathan Swift, and Gary McCoy’s political cartoon, opposing views are brought up with the use of Satire. The “Gender Wage Gap” sketch By John Oliver exposes the inequalities of women

For centuries, the act of a common citizen pointing out the faults of a country has always been frowned upon. Individuals have had to mute their grievances and wait for slow and often ineffective changes to take place. However, in the eighteenth century Jonathan Swift broke society's norms through his highly disturbing and shocking satirical piece A Modest Proposal. Swift proposes to the English Protestants a cannibal solution for the Irish Catholic children who are dying of starvation and diseases on the streets each day. Swift’s far from “modest” solution paved the way for modern day satirical outlets like The Daily Show. In a time where news commentators are reporting their own beliefs rather than unbiased news, The Daily Show has

Political satire is ubiquitous in United States. Social media are presenting uncountable numbers of political satires and tweets. As Iain Ellis, who has a Ph.D in American Culture Studies, said, “Today’s political humor infects, inflects, and injects into our national state of affairs”(Ellis 150). In relation to Ellis’ quote, the idea of utilizing humor as a political tool subverted my perception on humor, and such utilization has spread through not only in democratic countries, but also in countries like Egypt. Whether political humor and satires are beneficial for the society has been a controversial topic among scholars, politicians, and philosophers. Ramon Lopez, a fourth year Ph.D student studying political theory, proposes

Although not recognized easily, humor is an effective tool that can influence the society. As Alain de Botton argues in his book Status Anxiety, humorists serve a vital function in that they satirize the social problems without offending any particular groups. They identify the troubles, exaggerate through humor, and effectively deliver the messages they have intended. The position of humorists can be recognized simply through media that people encounter everyday. Dave Barry’s The Ugly Truth about Beauty and Jon Stewart on The Daily Show reveals how humorists' indirect criticisms through wit can change the world by acknowledging people about the problems that are embedded in themselves.

Furthermore, traditional conceptions of irony almost always talk about the "ignorant" audience that fails to detect the irony alongside the "knowing" audience that does detect it. These conceptions generally take a hierarchical view with regards to irony, commonly regarding those that fail to "get" the irony as being uneducated or ignorant (Hutcheon, 94). Interestingly however, these conceptions are almost always discussed with the idea that the audience (or

Satire is presented through many topics, events that had and is happening. Nevertheless, satire can persuade humans to change their opinions on diverse topics, and their ideal image of something. For example, satire cartoons may be humorous, but it can be a real eye opener, a great awakening for humans. Within the cartoons, it gives a clear perspective and understanding of what they’re trying to convey to

Their websites are full of click bait and their reporters are paid based on how much traffic an article gets. Because of this, topics that may seem dull are passed over for CNN’s 24/7 reporting on the lost Malaysian airliners. Yet, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’s YouTube channel can rack up over 3.5 million views for a video about food waste and nearly 4 million views on a segment covering the need for camera footage of Supreme Court cases. Since all of his reports are in comedic in manner, audiences are not put off by the seemingly dull subject matter. Thus, satirical news programs are less restricted and have more autonomy when choosing a topic to

Satire is constantly evolving in order to maintain with the times. As technology, culture and humanity change and grow, satire is forced to grow with it. Satire of our modern time is more likely to be found on our phones than on print, more likely on a television than a telegram. By merging with pop culture, in forms of Family Guy and Comedy Central news shows, these forms of satire are able to stay relevant. But, despite the change in medium, the purpose of satire and effect of satire holds true. Modern satire, just as that of past satire, sheds light on the problems of our society through ridicule and mockery, without reinforcing and further cementing the stereotypes and prejudices they are trying to expose.

Today, comedy news shows are becoming progressively more popular, and in so, becoming a new source of information – which may, or may not, be a positive consequence. Most comedians twist the truth in order to connect to people and make them laugh. The article “A Serious Business: What Can Comedy Do?” suggests some comedians “use logic to make painful things make sense” (O’Hara 108). Satirical comedy acts as a relief mechanism in that it comforts people that may be wary about a certain subject, especially in the realm of politics. Similarly, Peter McGraw and Joel Warner discuss how comedy can act as a coping mechanism. The authors conclude that “activists all over the world have been using comedy as a form of political protest” (McGraw & Warner 147). Iain Ellis writes about how political satirists do more than just deliver jokes, they use satire “to expose, ridicule, and–implicitly–call for action and change” (Ellis 152). Ellis contends that comedy can make a difference by its constant presence in our daily lives. Socrates, Plato, and even shows like South Park believe that humor is a way to persuade others. One of the most effective expressions of humor to affect social change has been the inclusion of satire. Although humor often provides people a welcome escape from the burdens of their daily lives, the satirical comedy deconstructs social issues in various ways as a means to persuade the

The recent surge in popularity of social media comes with a price: fake news. Fake news is defined as news or media that has been altered or modified. Journalists have begun to analyze why that fake news exists and why it continues exist. Two authors, Eoin O’Carroll and Kevin D. Williamson, both have written articles about fake news. Eoin O’Carroll’s article “How Information Overload Helps Spread Fake News,” discusses how the media has bombarded us with news stories, blurring the distinct lines between real and fake news. Kevin D. Williamson, a journalist for the National Review, writes in his article “‘Fake News, Media and Voters: Shared Reality Must Be Acknowledged” that the news is not fake; it just does not align with one’s personal beliefs. Both authors successfully appeal to their audiences’ emotions and feelings, but O’Carroll is more likely to succeed than Williamson in persuading his audience to try and combat fake news because the writer presents himself as someone the intended readers will more readily identify with and offers evidence that his readers will find more compelling.