# data[].attributes.headline
MISTREATMENT AND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE IN DEVELOPING NATIONS

# data[].attributes.subject
MISTREATMENT AND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE IN DEVELOPING NATIONS

# data[].attributes.body
In this recording, I have chosen one issue in particular that I would satricize in order to promote change and raise awareness.

# data[].attributes.headline
ALEC BALDWIN MIMICKING PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SNL

# data[].attributes.subject
ALEC BALDWIN MIMICKING PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SNL

# data[].attributes.body
In this second example of political satire, famous actor Alec Baldwin portrays President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. Baldwin imitates Trump's demeanour, electoral campaign, multiple promises, and major political ideas that were included during the 2016 election. The satire criticises his Mexican Wall idea, healthcare plan, "secret plan" for facing ISIS, immigration policies, public relations, and his Vice President.
Though Alec Baldwin's portrayal of President Trump on Saturday Night Live can have its lighter moments, the bulk of his satire pointedly criticises Trump, perhaps with the intent of shaming the president into altering his course or of mobilising citizens to work against Trump's goals and policies. On the contrary, this example of satire could be interpreted by some as only light hearted and ineffective at notifying the general public of the dangers of this particular issue.  Going back to Gladwell's paradox theory, this could be an example of satire that could appeal to both sides.

# data[].attributes.headline
DOES HANDMAID'S TALE AVOID THE SATIRE PARADOX?

# data[].attributes.subject
DOES HANDMAID'S TALE AVOID THE SATIRE PARADOX?

# data[].attributes.body
The Handmaid's Tale is unarguably an effective satire, in which Atwood draws her readers' attention to unpleasant, brutal, and horrific events in the recent past and in contemporary society. Dystopian in every way, the reader has the opportunity to envision a world in which modern values of our society to the extreme. Showing the worst of all possible outcomes, she demonstrates that our primarily heartless and purely economical thinking could bring the downfall of our society, using biblical inspiration to do so. Although satires are often used to be humorous, Atwood instead uses this instrument of literature for an attack on a society which she strongly disapproves of, especially criticising the nature of which society used to and currently treat women, sexuality, and fertility. Despite this, Atwood does not avoid the satire paradox; even though her novel harshly explains how horrible our world has been and can become, there are still people today that have those values and ideologies. Multiple issues mentioned in the book (e.g. oppression of women and race, sexuality, slut-shaming, abortion, faith, etc) are still continuously controversial, with a fair amount of Western culture, along with others, continuing to stand by those values. Her novel can possibly be perceived as the "best possible way to live" by these people.

# data[].attributes.headline
Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast “The Satire Paradox” 

# data[].attributes.subject
Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast “The Satire Paradox” 

# data[].attributes.body
Malcolm Gladwell, a famous Canadian journalist and author, did a podcast highlighting satires, and specifically, how they can possibly do the exact opposite of their intention. Essentially, Malcolm Gladwell feels that the funnier someone perceives a satire to be, the less they can be changed by it. A satire can be intended to criticise a certain figure or issue, but in actuality appeal to those who agree with that exact issue the satire criticises. This is what Gladwell meant specifically when he refers to the satire paradox. The "paradox" is that a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement, the satire, can be further investigated to be completely ineffective, or emphasising the opposite of what it intended..

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to Main Content

Join Pushkin+

Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge Malcolm Gladwell's full 6-episode gun series early and ad-free! Your membership also gets you access to exclusive opportunities across Pushkin's full network of podcasts.

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past - an event, a person, an idea, even a song - and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.

Questions for Malcolm? Feedback about the show? Contact us here!

Most Recent Episode

Malcolm goes to a shooting range in the woods of North Carolina to get a tutorial on the AR-15. It's scary. It's ugly. It's at the center of the gun...

Season 8 Season 7 Season 6 Season 5 Season 4 Season 3 Season 2 Season 1

The Host

Malcolm Gladwell is president and co-founder of Pushkin Industries. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of six New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers,...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Revisionist History Podcast - Malcolm Gladwell Podcast - Pushkin Industries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Click now to listen to the Revisionist History podcast on Pushkin Industries.

# data[].attributes.body
The full title of Swift's pamphlet is "A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to their Parents, or the Country, and for Making them Beneficial to the Publick." The tract is an ironically conceived attempt to "find out a fair, cheap, and easy Method" for converting the starving children of Ireland into "sound and useful members of the Commonwealth." Across the country poor children, predominantly Catholics, are living in squalor because their families are too poor to keep them fed and clothed.
Swifts humorous "proposal" was to use the children as a food source. Swift was directly criticising the ridiculous and horrific poverty of Ireland during the 18th century. This is an example of true satire; promoting social change and perfectly criticising the issue at hand.

# data[].attributes.body
Political satire is satire that specialises in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly forbidden. In this example, the former Prime Minister of Canada was being criticised for a numerous amount of scandals and issues that were prevalent during his time in government, including the currency exchange rate and the Niqab debate.

# data[].attributes.body
This example of satire criticises President Trump's consistent lies and unreliable "facts" throughout his presidency. Many Americans are in a continuous uproar of Trump's public speeches and interviews, in which he makes claims that lack fact, truth, or sincerity.
Based on Gladwell's podcast, this cartoon is a true political satire. It depicts and criticises Trump's presidency without appealing to the side that it is criticising. This satire effectively humorizes and breaks apart Trump's campaign as well as his current actions. It promotes social change, trying to notify American residents that they are being brainwashed and lied to by their President.

# data[].attributes.body
A satire is a technique of criticism strategically used in order to make fun of something. Typically, satires tend to make fun of public figures, significant issues, or politics. Satires commonly use exaggerated language, examples, or humour as the main way to make fun of whatever the satire may be criticising. Even though the ridiculous language of satire isn't intended to be taken seriously, well-made satire can use mockery to get at more serious truths, possibly emitting some form of social change.