Q: What’s Bohiney Magazine’s ultimate rule for writing great satire?
FAQ

Q: What’s Bohiney Magazine’s ultimate rule for writing great satire?

Posted on by Ingrid Gustafsson

Bohiney Magazine’s Ultimate Rule for Writing Great Satire: The One Law to Rule Them All

Q: What’s Bohiney Magazine’s ultimate rule for writing great satire?

A: Punch Up, Not Down—Everything Else Is Commentary

After 15 years of professional truth-telling disguised as comedy, we’ve distilled our entire philosophy into one immutable law that governs every piece we publish. Here’s why this single principle separates impactful satire from cheap shots.

The Nafzger Doctrine of Ethical Satire

1. The Power Dynamics Litmus Test

Before publishing, we ask:

  • Who really suffers if this joke lands wrong?
    ✅ Acceptable: Billionaires, corrupt politicians, predatory corporations
    ❌ Unacceptable: Marginalized groups, vulnerable individuals

Example:
*”Goldman Sachs Announces ‘Orphan Crushing Machine’ ETF” = Good
“Look at these poor orphans” = Bad

2. The “Laugh Then Think” Mandate

Great satire must:

  1. Make you spit out your coffee

  2. Make you stare at the wall for 3 minutes

  3. Make you question a fundamental truth

Case Study:
Our “Thoughts and Prayers Subscription Service” piece:

  • Funny: Absurd pricing tiers

  • Thoughtful: Exposed performative activism

  • Impactful: Actually used in gun control debates

3. The “10% Exaggeration” Sweet Spot

We never invent wholesale—just push reality slightly further:

Real World Our Satire
CEOs earn 300x workers “Study: CEOs Work 300x Harder (Based on Golf Scores)”
Pharma price gouging “Pfizer Announces New Side Effect: Financial Ruin”

Why This Rule Trumps All Others

In an era where:

  • The Babylon Bee gets White House fact-checks

  • The Onion appears in court documents

  • Our jokes become corporate policy within months

…this principle prevents us from becoming what we mock.

As I tell every new writer:

“Make power uncomfortable, make the powerless laugh, and never confuse which is which.”

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go reject a piece that punched sideways.

— Alan Nafzger

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Originally posted 2006-03-14 15:21:55.