Satire Basics
Satire is easily misunderstood. By its nature, it is sarcastic. It is very different from other forms of comedy because its primary goal is not to make us laugh, but to think. In a sense, it is a form of moralism, because satire is designed to discredit a folly or vice.
Good satire is hard to come by, because it is very complex, sophisticated, and, quite honestly, requiring of much patience and thought. It does follow the rules of storytelling (protagonist vs antagonist, raising the stakes, character development, etc.), but the world of satire exists in a mirror. Everything is backwards. But everything reflects a reality from the other side.
Whether reading a satirist like Mark Twain, or watching a Mike Judge production on a screen, it’s essential to remember that no character is “right” in this genre. There may be protagonists, but even the “hero” acts from a place of vice. In fact, the protagonist’s desire will be to attain some sort of folly. A true hero’s desire is to always pursue something noble or good, something bigger than himself. But a satirical hero never does this. He is self centered.
A true hero’s flaws may beckon a more serious struggle in a traditional story, but in satire, the protagonist’s flaw is his strength. It is backwards, but it works as a sort of reverse psychology for the viewer. When we see Hank Hill’s machismo resulting in domination of his neighborhood, we should not see this as a good thing, but a blatantly brutal example of a man we should not be in the real world.
Another basic element of satire is irony. Irony can be difficult to spot, but it is a powerful tool that can be both funny and tragic at the same time. In Idiocracy, Mike Judge ends his film by rewarding his protagonist but promoting his status to President of America. This is significant, because in the beginning this character is established as being a man who is “average” in almost every way, and even aspires towards this. In the real world, a person who aspires to be average does not become the President. But in satire, it is the opposite. It’s not in spite of the protagonist’s weakness that he can become the most powerful man in the country, but entirely because he is the most average that he can receive this high honor. He does not overcome an obstacle, but the obstacle itself bestows the satirical hero’s blessing.
The most important aspect of satire is its criticism. Satire is nothing if not making deep cuts into a vice or folly. It is not always political, but in a field where folly is ripe, satirists go picking with eager fingers. Religion is also commonly the victim of satire for similar reasons.
Not all persons are capable of interpreting satire, because its delivery is intentionally abstract. Thus, it may wrongly be seen as a form of entertainment. It is never simply this. Satire may be entertaining, but this is typically nothing more than sugar-coating. Since satire criticizes a folly, it may incorporate entertaining or comedic tools as a means of softening its blow. Without these sugary elements, it would not be satire but quite simply, “preaching.” In this sense, satire is sneaky. Its morals are rarely obvious and blatant as they would be in a preacher’s sermon.
Something else to keep in mind when engaging with satire is that we are not necessarily supposed to find one specific moral at the end. Satire is philosophical, in that it is less concerned with a final answer and more interested in making a person think for himself about a particular issue. A good satirist will always leave it up to the reader/viewer at the end. We must pinpoint the folly being criticized, and decide for ourselves what opinion we have on the issue. A satirist presents discourse. After reading/watching a satire, we should talk about it. And not just by repeating funny lines, but by sincerely thinking about the issues presented.
Satire is thinking man’s comedy. Beavis and Butthead becomes all the more ironic when viewed in this way. Extract’s dryness suddenly makes a little more sense when viewed through a satiric lens. And Office Space takes on new meaning beyond mere silliness. As long as you enter into a satire understanding that you may not necessarily laugh, but will certainly think, you’re worthy of watching a Mike Judge production.
But yeah, you will laugh. You’ll laugh a lot. Because Mike Judge is a really funny satirist.
