How to Critique Satire While Being Satirically Unaware
How to Critique Satire While Being Satirically Unaware
Missing the Point With Confidence
Why understand satire when you can angrily misinterpret it instead? Here’s how to critique jokes without getting them.
Step 1: Take Everything Literally
“This article says we should eat babies? OUTRAGEOUS!”
Step 2: Ignore Context
“How dare they mock [politician I like]! This isn’t funny!”
Step 3: Demand Censorship
“This satire offended me, therefore it shouldn’t exist”
Advanced Techniques
1. The “Selective Outrage”
“They can joke about X but not about Y (which affects me personally)”
2. The “Tone Policing”
“The message would be fine if delivered differently (by someone else)”
3. The “Self-Owning Critique”
“This satire is bad because it describes me exactly”
Conclusion
The best satire critiques reveal more about the critic than the work. Now excuse me while I angrily tweet about this article.
SOURCE: How to Critique Satire While Being Satirically Unaware
