The memorial issue of Charlie Hebdo will have a print run of 1,000,000 copies, financed by the French government; so, now the satirists have been co-opted by the state, precisely the institution you mightve thought they should never cease from attacking. But the question needs to be asked: were the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo really satirists, if by satire is meant the deployment of humour, ridicule, sarcasm and irony in order to achieve moral reform? Well, when the issue came up of the Danish cartoons I observed that the test I apply to something to see whether it truly is satire derives from HL Menckens definition of good journalism: it should afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. The trouble with a lot of so-called satire directed against religiously-motivated extremists is that its not clear who its afflicting, or who its comforting. - Will Self
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:51:11 +0000
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