Satire Does Not Always Involve Humor. The Most Powerful Satire Never Does.

[Denzil_DC]

76. IMO, satire is most powerful/relevant when it targets ingroups, especially those with real power.

Satire aimed at outgroups/demographic minorities is always going to be problematic, and lead to the question of what it's trying to achieve beyond a visceral reaction that may simply serve to reinforce existing prejudices. What's the difference between such satire and hate speech?

Did the cartoonists perceive "Muslims" and "Jews" and others sometimes clumsily portrayed (in my opinion) as being vested with a certain power, whether through myths of threatening violence from an Other in the case of the stereotyped portrayal of "Muslims," or at worst being part of some grand behind-the-scenes financial cabal, as in some of the stereotyped portrayals of "Jews"? Was that a threat they were trying to address, or is that overthinking it? Or were they trying to subvert those old tropes of portrayal and hold them up to ridicule? If the latter, then that assumes a certain sophistication among the readership that may not always be present.

If satire doesn't need to be funny, I do think it needs to be relevant. That relevance depends on the intent behind it as well as the perception of the audience.

I shouldn't have to add my wholly heartfelt opinion that none of this excuses the wanton murder of anyone, but in the current climate, I guess I'd better.