Morreall On American And Western Humor

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.

In Alain de Botton’s book, Status Anxiety, he claims that a humorist’s purpose is “not merely to entertain, but to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly.” Humorists have more leeway when discussing controversial topics, thus they serve a vital function in society; however, humorists also have other intentions such as entertaining their audiences and earning revenue.

“Theories of humor often suggest that humor requires a perceived violation, or something that disrupts people’s sense of how the world ought to be” (McGraw and Warren 2010).

Final Paper Rough Draft Auston Collins Ever since their inception in the early 1930’s, television programs have revolutionized the United States in countless ways. From informing millions about current news to allowing sports fans to watch their team playing across the country, television has truly been one of the most revolutionary inventions of the past century. More recently, television programs have begun to comment and take a position on current events. In particular, satire has been very common, as it uses wit and irony to critique certain aspects of society.

Successful satirist achieve a balance between amusement and criticism. discuss At its core the purpose of satire it to use amusement to expose humanity’s various vices and shortcomings, and in doing so critique the prevailing social norms and attitudes. Political satire, in particular, humorously engages with the responder to represent a comment on the vices and foibles of the political systems, through an insight in to the ethical ambiguity within the internal machinations of politics. Rob Sitch’s 2008 mockumentary The Hollowmen humorously highlights the clandestine nature of politics , where politicians devalue public merit in order to meet self-serving agendas .

As asserted by Alain de Botton in his book, "Status Anxiety", humorists not only entertain but convey controversial and necessary messages. With their standing in today's world, humorists, such as comedians, talk show hosts, and cartoonists, play a vital role in society. These people put issues out in the open when others hide them away. Once these issues are in the air to talk about, the people contribute to conversations, which leads to steps taken to stop the problem. But that could never happen unless humorists helped us see.

Humor has become manifested into nearly all aspects of the secular world. Whether it be in comics, writings, or television, some form of comedy is sure to be seen on a regular basis. It seems the world today depends on a good laugh every now and then, and Alain de Botton argued the purpose of this in his book Status Anxiety. He concluded that humorists are more than just a form of entertainment; They "convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly". These men and women are granted some degree of leeway to speak freely and candidly on ultimately any subject for the preservation of societal stability. Their representation of public sentiment results in the people feeling as if what they long to say is finally being heard on a larger platform. Humorists serve the vital role of being a true reflection of public opinion; however, they are not immune to

Americans receive a lot of criticism for what they do, and who they are. On countless social media posts and such items. It is not rare that you see a few jokes about Americans and their style of life. Like being fat, lethargic, racist, and violent. In the article “Are Americans Different? You Bet They Are” Richard Reeves, an American writer, discusses the way a typical American acts and lives their life.

It has recently become inappropriate for one to criticize certain societal topics without having others scold them for doing so. Thus, humorists have found success in various ways by accusing these issues with comical approaches. Humorists tend to serve a vital function in today’s society as this humor is what allows them to express their thoughts on specific beliefs that, if stated directly, would not be seen adequate in the public eye. Whether it’s a light-hearted, much-needed laugh, or a rebel trying to prove a certain point, there will always be a certain need for humor.

It is common for T.V. shows to use satire to comment on modern society through the use of critical humour. “The Simpsons”, a popular animated American sitcom, focuses on a dysfunctional working-class family and their day-to-day lives in the small town of Springfield. In one particular episode, Bart befriends Bashir, a newly moved-in Muslim boy, and the Simpsons invite him and his family over for dinner however homer’s paranoia gets the better of him and he jumps to the conclusion they’re terrorists. This episode, which is targeted at a broad contemporary audience, very effectively satirises the American culture and the typical ignorant American in order to heighten awareness on racial intolerance. These flaws in modern society are cleverly

Modern society allows humorists to touch upon offensive topics without receiving much criticism. As Alain de Botton claimed in his 2004 book, Status Anxiety, humorists’ role is not merely to entertain but “to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly.” De Botton’s argument proves legitimate. Many humorists, such as cartoonists and television hosts, decide to use their humor as a tool to prove an idea or express a belief that cannot be voiced candidly in public.

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.

Historians and academics offer definitions which underlie today?s humor. In 1937, Walter Blair, whose 60-year study of humor focused on the nineteenth century development of the genre, stated that American humor was neither produced only in America nor contained characteristics privy only to Americans. He offered instead that American humor meant ?humor which is American in that it has an emphatic ?native quality??a quality imparted by its subject matter and its technique? (92). H. R. Haweis, half a century earlier in 1882, had defined the technique of American humor as the three shocks of contrast: business and piety, Aboriginal and Yankee, and the bigness of American nature versus the smallness of

Over the past 70 years, there has been great change in comedy especially for African-Americans and other Non-American races. During the early days of comedy, many of these people were considered to be minorities during that era. This influenced many comedic stints of that time which over the years have evolved to catch up with the modern day society. Some of these include the humor, the topics discussed and also epithets. Over the years many comedians have emerged from ‘this’ group of minorities and have played a major factor in the evolution of comedy itself and how the different minorities have evolved from being quiet to playing a great part in show casing their lifestyle. Compared to the past, there has been a great change in comedy from the old times of Dick Gregory to the modern times of Aziz Ansari.

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