Satire

Satire is a genre or technique that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to critique individuals, institutions, or society. Its purpose is to expose folly and stimulate change, rather than to celebrate the object of its mockery. Satire targets politics, religion, social norms, and human behavior, often by presenting a distorted version of reality that reveals its flaws.

Traditionally, satire has appeared in literature, drama, visual art, and, more recently, film, television, and online media. Techniques include irony, parody, caricature, hyperbole, and understatement. The form can be direct, as in a speaker addressing a policy, or indirect, through a fictional narrative or a simulated scene that mirrors real events.

Historically, satire has roots in ancient Greece with Aristophanes and in Rome with Horace and Juvenal. In the modern era, writers such as Swift, Voltaire, and Dickens used satire to critique power, corruption, and social inequality. Contemporary satire ranges from political cartoons to satirical news programs and internet memes.

A key aspect of satire is audience recognition: readers or viewers are expected to understand the target through conventions and context. When effective, satire can foster critical thinking and public debate; when misread or gratuitous, it can alienate audiences or reinforce the very attitudes it aims to expose.

See also irony, parody, caricature, and social criticism.