Satire will save the world – or at least politics
Dannagal G. Young, assistant professor of communications and professional
comedian, has an inspiring cover story in the Columbia Journalism Review. The
title says it all: “Lighten Up: How Satire Will Make American Politics Relevant Again.” The rather long piece carries
no date, but was apparently typed before Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert
decided they needed to break out of their beloved satirical moulds. Young
dismisses the usual hand-wringing that their shows have become the central news
source for most younger Americans. She concludes: “Increasingly, scholars of political entertainment
are challenging the notion that this process is worth protecting from the
bastardizing influences of emotion, humor, and fun; especially if rationalizing
politics means leaving normal people alienated from the language and rituals of
politics. … The key is in finding ways to show citizens that
politics is not separate from their lives. Politics is people. People are
social, emotional, and playful. We want to connect with our world and with each
other, and enjoy doing it.” And when that fails, we may
want to engage in wishful thinking – all the better if slightly self-serving.