Reading Response 3:
Ridicule
I really found the ridicule section of Laughing Matters interesting. I think the main reason is that that is almost the only humor my friends and I use. Yes, there are quick witticisms here and there, but for the most part it is blatant assholishness. So, for one the concept of ridicule hits close to home. And second, there are many examples in the text about how ridicule alone can strip the government of its power. Me being a political science student, this interests me.
Government examples: Fidel Castro Cuba, Hugo Chavez Venezuela, Vladimir Putin Russia. What I notice about most of these countries is that they want to have a lot of power, and influence. With humor circling through their country, they feel insecure about people might take it. Also most of these governments were obtained through coup de tats so they might imagine that the same would happen to them, and that the ridicule of humor would prompt it.
Although this may not have much to do with ridicule, the mere chance or opportunity for people to get a joke in edgewise where humor is censored is jumped at by many. Example: Iran. I really like the statement “Every joke is a tiny revolution.” GO. I also found that the Nazis squelched ridicule, but their allies, the Italians and Benito Mousolini did not. So it can be used as an offensive weapon.
Can also be used as a defensive weapon. Used a lot in pop culture in America. Donald Duck’s fuerher’s face. Team America world police. Monty python and the holy grail. All classic movies that inbed ridicule into their scripts. Seems as though a lot are used with war, but some instances have been used to forward elections. Can even turn the tide of battle, as it did with the US colonists against the british.
-More extreme the leader, more susceptible to ridicule.
-Americans don’t dare fuck with Korea, Yet Pakistan does.
-It sticks
- target can’t refute it
-boosts morale
-gets better with each retelling
-spreads on it own.
-more examples, just too long to type them all out.
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You provide many great examples that support the idea of ridicule. Not only do you provide historical examples but also examples of movies that are based off ridicule. I am not quite sure what your main argument is though: I know you are talking about ridicule in the media but how does that play out. I think you can build a strong argument, however, off what I have read so far.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a great idea for future essays in this class, but not really for essay #1. For this essay, you want to focus on how the writer of the essay you're focusing on creates his/her argument. What devices are used, meaning, if you are convinced by the writing, why? If you're not convinced, why not? Also, how does the writer appeal to the logic/reason and emotions of his/her audience? How does the writer establish credibility?
ReplyDelete