Thought for the day

Written By: - Date published: 6:12 am, January 16th, 2018 - 14 comments
Categories: Satire - Tags: , ,

14 comments on “Thought for the day ”

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  1. Anne 1
    16 January 2018 at 10:14 am

    Satire is a very important part of the human experience, but unfortunately there are a great many people who have no concept of it whatsoever. The ability to laugh at – make fun of – ourselves and the incongruity of so much that goes on around us is immensely therapeutic. In this age of neo-liberal ideology and the meme that money is God (not to mention Trumpism which is much the same thing anyway), satire has become an even more essential ingredient of society.

    Bullying, in all its many manifestations, on the other hand is a terrible blight on the human race and the culprits need to be exposed for everyone to see. Only then can progress towards its elimination have any chance of succeeding.

    • JanM 1.1
      16 January 2018 at 12:24 pm

      It seems to me that the kind of person who holds neo-liberal ideologies doesn’t really seem equipt with a ‘funny-bone'(as my grandmother used to call it) so they don’t get satire. Just imagine Donald Trump trying to get his head around Going Postal, for instance – te he.
      However, sadly, they do seem to have a firm grip on bullying 🙁 and reducing far too many of us into quivering wrecks .

  2. greywarshark 2
    16 January 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Satire is standing aside from the fray for a time, and sending up people who have more power than others to ridicule them.

    However though it displays a situation and shows it to be laughable, with those too close to it unable to view themselves dispassionately, it just finds the flaws and holds them up for all to see it is shallow stuff without resulting remedial action.

    Those receiving the treatment meted out by people being satirised without any changes for the better, will become cynical sooner rather than later. They will not be able to share the joke. So action to assist others is the next step or the satirising ends up finding amusement at others’ expense in what is a chronic sore. And that is ugly behaviour and rebounds on the dilettante.

    • JanM 2.1
      16 January 2018 at 3:02 pm

      Humour of all varieties can be seen as a safety valve to retain sanity in situations where indeed you have little power to change things “Comedy is just a funny way of being serious” (Peter Ustinov – one of my favourite people)

      • Anne 2.1.1
        16 January 2018 at 4:20 pm

        (Peter Ustinov – one of my favourite people).

        Thank-you for reminding me of one of the greatest actors/raconteurs/comedians of all time.

        Edit: Oh and I forgot to add writer/ film- maker and goodness knows what else.

        A little snippet that is relevant to he post:

  3. greywarshark 3
    16 January 2018 at 3:13 pm

    Yes so true JanM. But comedy as a stress relief and a break in the mind pattern, good, then back to the serious again till the next break and short cup of tea. Sanity Rules OK has to be the order of the day for sure.
    (Peter Ustinov – have a book about him. Interesting bloke and not to pass by Terry Pratchett, and his thinking hat re Harry Potter, without a greeting and a smile, an even greater bloke.)

    • JanM 3.1
      16 January 2018 at 4:03 pm

      I see your point, I think – it should be used as and when needed – not to become a way of life that excludes serious action and rules out compassion and courage.
      Yes, Terry Pratchett is another of my ‘heroes’

  4. OnceWasTim 4
    16 January 2018 at 5:42 pm

    I’m not sure who is responsible for the ‘Notices and Features’ department, but is there any particular reason for the subject?
    It’s rather timely in my opinion.
    I almost gave up reading TS a week or so ago – let alone making any sort of contribution by way of comment.
    The reason being, it seemed to me, many who claim to be of the ‘left’ and all that goes with it (be it community over individualism, etc., etc., etc.) probably had one too many Chardonnays – or whatever their potion is. Any idea of basic humility and/or compassion appeared lost, and in the early stages of January 2018, everyone seemed to be battling for their slot in order to prove how educated; how well-read; how utterly, utterly beautiful and well-endowed they are in the various ways they think important.
    Of course, as I’ve already said, I’m considerably more beautiful, more intelligent (to the point of Trump genius), and I have the biggest cock than the lot of youse.

    The battle is never going to be won through pomposity, supercilious attitude or testosterone-fed ego. That’s why we are where we are today.
    Oh…did I mention I’m also a way better driver than the lot of youse, and I can handle my piss and drugs

    • greywarshark 4.1
      16 January 2018 at 6:43 pm

      Good for you getting that off your chest OwT. I like a good rant, it’s good to blow the got out of the foofoo valves. Stick around won’t you. I would miss your comments personally and as for the rest of youse I should cocoa.

    • Anne 4.2
      16 January 2018 at 6:46 pm

      And your entire comment is timely in my opinion OWT. I also came close to giving up on TS in the past weeks. It was like an egotistical and intellectual version of my c***’s the best and brightest on The Standard.

      Look forward to normal discourse being resumed.

    • JanM 4.3
      16 January 2018 at 7:02 pm

      Oh I’m glad I’m not the only one!!

    • North 4.4
      17 January 2018 at 8:40 am

      The implication I’ve picked up from TS of late is that people are dummies when they express abhorrence of Trump and what is happening in America today unless they engage much stronger focus on Trump’s predecessors and the oftentimes foul historical record of America.

      That can be intimidating frankly. I doubt that the effect is always unintended. The effect is insufficiently strong however to have me artificially limit or put aside my gut senses alarmed at the clear and present danger which Trump reflects. Why ? Because at my parents’ knee well over 60 years ago I learned to object to the bulldozing, blowhard bully. Broad brush that and my parents’ ongoing moral and social instruction is largely why I am of the Left.

      OnceWasTim’s mention of “pomposity, supercilious attitude or testosterone-fed ego” is particularly apt. In my view it is seen principally in those who seemingly have enough disposable time to trawl through Google locating expressions of views which support their own. Which views are then regurgitated on TS.

      Where did the alarmingly authoritarian gut senses of those people come from I wonder ?

      • Anne 4.4.1
        17 January 2018 at 12:41 pm

        I doubt that the effect is always unintended.

        I am sure it is not unintended. It is a reminder to those of us of a more senior demographic (my upbringing when it comes to blowhards, bullies and show-ponies was similar to yours North) that we are seen as a bunch of old duffers who have nothing of notable worth to impart. It’s also a warning to the more youthful among us that… if you choose to go down life’s path – learning and experiencing as you go – without multiple university degrees to flash around the place then you are considered unfit to say anything at all.

        To be fair, not all commentators of recent times fall into the category initially described by Once Was Tim, but a message to those that do:

        We’re not going away!

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