The obvious conclusion from recent studies is that humor not only makes political satire go down easier—it stops people from feeling the rage that might have motivated them to change things.
Not Funny
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
10 Comments. Leave new
This is exactly why I can’t stand Jon Stewart or Colbert. They basically are a way for upscale white liberals to laugh off things that people should be enraged about. The basic principle is: There’s nothing you can do about it, so you might as well laugh.
Afghans slaughtered? Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!! It’s sooooooo funny!!
World’s biggest oil spill, with cover-up? Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!! It’s sooooooo funny!!
Wall Street steals trillions from average Americans? Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!! It’s sooooooo funny!!
I mean – hey, you can’t DO ANTHING about it so you may as well laugh!!! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!!!
Good job Stewart.
Good job Colbert.
Good job liberal America.
I thought long and hard on this. It’s an excellent point. Still, in pacifism’s defense, I would like to point out that — although humor and satire can often be counter-productive if you think we need anger, anger too can be counter-productive if it’s not managed carefully. Witness the Tea Party: about to overthrow the U.S. government, expressly for the purpose of letting corporations and political elites rape them and deny their rights more efficiently.
If you’re suggesting a boycott of political humor, then of course you’re gonna be the first casualty, Ted!
There’s also the possibility that humor simply takes the homicidal edge off my, er I mean, someone’s anger.
The only people I see acting on their rage, though, are the tea baggers (I refuse to demean the act of enjoying tea and cakes, or dumping tea in Boston Harbor, by referring to those people as a tea party). If someone with a better social/political perspective ever starts getting active, I’m there.
The Gulf spill is not the biggest oil spill in the world. As a matter of fact they can’t find all the oil. Another crisis wasted. Poor progressives.
As my good friend Todd Rundgren put it.
The TV blows
The music sucks
The bullet or the ballot box.
I just ain’t up for a massacre
mebbe.
I think you meant “shrinks” instead of “scientists” in the first frame.
I don’t get the point either: are you trying to get people angry, or are you just venting out your anger? Anyway, you’re right: the cartoon isn’t funny at all.
Point is clear. Our *democracy suffers from a lack of informedness. Fact-laced comedy will not improve this. What’s not to get?
Angelo, I should have pointed out that humor, by definition, is not conducive to anger, so Rall’s “point” in the second frame is just an unintentional truism.
Now, if he was talking about pamphleteering that would be different…
And when can any of us not be talking about pamphleteering when the weltanschauungs is question is but a conglomeration of successful pamphleteering efforts.
is=in