Why Do We Pay Attention to Satire?

One of the highlights of my history class last year was analyzing political cartoons, documents, and other sources and figuring out what they meant. All of this seemed pretty analytical to me at first, but looking at the visual aspects of the sources, especially that of political cartoons, it became very clear to me that all of the design choices, including the layout, structure, and even the font evoked a common theme that the creator was trying to convey. Looking closely at this particular cartoon by Dr. Seuss, whom I only knew as a children’s book author, our entire class let out a resounding noise that can only be explained through this emoji: 😬. 

All jokes aside, Dr Seuss’ comparison of restrictive voting rights before the 24th Amendment to a selective turnstile that no one can pay the price to cross was clever and funny as well as heartbreaking. In its essence, what Seuss produced was a mere cartoon, with childish characters and faces, but what he achieved was a chilling reveal of the millions of Americans who were unable to vote due to harsh and unfair requirements. As I dissected the individual components, a sharp, gut-wrenching pain followed every part. And my curiosity behind this odd feeling grew. 

Satire, the likes we see in publications like The Onion and cartoons such as the one that Dr. Seuss created, by definition, is the use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to expose and criticize people’s stupidity, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Humor, in particular, seems to be an important component of satire and its resonance. Perhaps it is the light-heartedness rather than the complex sociopolitical jargon and the frightening statistics that gives a fast and accurate picture of a situation. However accurate, conventional news shows or printed news fail to encapsulate the rather funny moments of an ordeal, or make it digestible to the everyday person. In fact, the emphasis on the frightening aspects of an incident only makes it harder to accept, especially if it applies to the reader or viewer. To some degree, broken promises, impulsive and failed political decisions, and other absurdities have a humorous aspect to them in a sort of witty and laconic way. In the end, wit makes simple, funny moments more dimensional and memorable. 

Another important aspect of satire that makes it impactful is its creativity and complexity behind the humor. Although humor is the first component that readers or viewers pay attention to, upon closer inspection, it is satire’s ability to break through the noise and engulf people with a mixture of cleverness, amazement, and tragedy that hits them next. I came across this cartoon depicting the race for the White House between then-incumbent president Martin Van Buren and Whig party nominee William Henry Harisson. Every chunk of this cartoon fits, almost like a puzzle. Martin Van Buren sits on a golden carriage, symbolizing the glory of the presidency, but is led by a blind horse, signaling his eventual defeat. His carriage flounders in a pile of Clay, representing Henry Clay, who endorsed Harisson in the election. Meanwhile, Harrison’s face is plastered on a steam-powered train, which has “Hard Cider” written over its body and a log cabin situated towards the back, alluding to the nominee’s humble beginnings. What is great about this cartoon, and any satirical political cartoon in that matter, is that each section of the piece contributes to the narrative; one piece cannot exist without the other. Viewers are thus compelled to glue the story together, fostering skepticism and a deeper understanding of the situation, but still retaining the humor and fun from their first viewing. 

But satire is not limited to just cartoons and writing. In the modern era, it is present in much of popular culture, including films, music, and art. A notable example of satire in the art and culture world is the controversial 2021 film Don’t Look Up, where two scientists discover a comet that will destroy planet Earth, and reveal the truth to a government and society who choose to be indifferent and be ignorant of the impending doom. Don’t Look Up models the dynamic between esteemed scientists and those who want to profit on the belief that climate change is a hoax. From a billionaire who wants to rip the comet into fragments to harvest rare minerals, to a news host who jokes about dropping the comet on his ex wife, every character and part of the plot acts as instruments hinting to the bigger picture. Although not as concise as a single article or a cartoon, the film uses mechanisms similar to those mediums that exude feelings of satire without deliberately exaggerating them to make them seem undeniably familiar. It is this adaptability of satire that makes it resonate amongst audiences across genres. 

Perhaps the most important quality of satire that forces audiences to pay attention to is its ability to make intangible events seem human. In conventional media, political issues often feel impersonal and inapplicable to the everyday human and can often seem abstract. Although humor, creativity, and adaptability break the first three barriers of this abstraction, it is the overt humanness of satire that delivers the final blow. Through the depiction of politics through cartoons, powerful world leaders perform outlandish acts: scrambling to get the biggest slice of Africa cake or slay a multi-headed monster with a giant sword. Overwhelmingly large concepts such as the economy and the national deficit are stripped down to everyday objects such as boats and a bursting balloon. It labels flawed political judgment as out of touch or miscalculated, but at the same time makes it seem like an everyday mistake, such as leaving the oven on. However dire a situation seems, it is the human quality of satire that makes us laugh in utter heartbreak.