A Look at Satire

      Satire is all around us and is, most of time, presented to us through various media outlets. It attempts to poke fun and seriously criticize certain topics, depending on what type of satire is employed. Satire can operate on a variety of platforms, and can effect one's view on a certain situation, political event, social concerns, etc. This week we will look at satire and break it down a bit, showing certain types and categories of satire.
      Satire has many faces in a world that is ever changing, the point of satire, according to its definition, diminishes or derogates a subject by making the problem or person look ridiculous. The purpose is criticize in order to shame the subject into reform. While usually satire itself does not do the reform, but it serves as a catalyst to some issues to get the people thinking about a certain problem.
     The first type of satire we will examine is Horatian satire. The name Horacian come from the ancient Roman satirist Horace. This type of satire is often meant to be gentle,urbane, and leave the reader or audience smiling. It attempts to correct the issue addressed through gentle sympathetic laughter and is often playful as seen in this example.

In this example, criminals who appear to be some sort of burglars or thief's are looking at wanted mugshots. While looking at mugshots, the criminals reminisce about a time when they were on the wanted posters instead of the law enforcement being on the poster. This communicates that in these times the police and authority seem to be more menacing than the criminals themselves.
This form of satire, as seen, is not meant to be that offensive, however, the next form of satire is not meant to be so palatable.
The second type of satire we will examine is Juvenalian satire. This name juvenalian comes from the ancient Roman satirist Juvenal. This type of satire is meant to really grab the reader. Often juvenalian satire seeks to be bitter, biting, and angry, often presenting the audience with moral indignation. In this example juvenalian satire is employed.

In this example, healthcare is the issue that is being addressed.
The patient is caught in a catch 22 as the insurance he has does not cover his ailment unless he does not have it. So basically his insurance covers certain ailments as long as he does not have the ailment. If he does he is basically screwed.
This kind of satire is biting because it seriously criticizes the healthcare industry by making a mockery of it in this cartoon.
    Satire has been a way that the people deal with injustices and things they feel are not handled correctly. Satire employs four techniques that have been used for millennia. The first technique is exaggeration which is meant to enlarge or represent something beyond its normalcy. The second is incongruity which resents things that are out of place. The third being reversal which is presenting the opposite of the status quo. The final technique employed by satirists is parody which is to imitate the techniques and/or style of something or someone. Since the ancient times with Horace and Juvenal people have been using satire as way to poke fun at and sometimes insult the powers that be. Satire employs four techniques that have been used for millennia.