Playing gracefully with ideas is what I’m trying to do with The Gadfly – not always as gracefully as I’d like, of course. Still, the freedom to think out loud, test ideas, and change our minds is essential to thinking clearly about the world. That's how I read Oscar Wilde's line.
Do you have any favourite satirists? Which targets are most in need of satire right now? Let me know your thoughts, and thanks for reading.
I am glad to see a nod to Babylon Bee. I am a big fan of it - and I am getting loads of hate mail for sharing their gems. Because they are marked as “conservative”. And “good liberals” do not laugh to “conservative” humor.
Brilliant and so true. As Anna above just said “the woke don’t joke”. They’ve all had a sense of humour bypass. I can’t stand people saying “you know you can’t say that”, well I can because I just did. And I will continue to do so. I am known for being someone who speaks before I think and lacking in tact but at least you know where you stand with me. I will tell you straight out what I think and I much prefer people like that. That’s one of the reasons I like Trump, he just says whatever he wants to. He doesn’t follow a script and he is bloody funny at times and his honesty is just brilliant. Keep on with the outspoken irony and truth bombs Frederick. I’m a fan.
Christopher Hitchens was such a clever man and certainly ahead of his time with what was coming our way with the Muslim immigrants and the wokerati. Much like Enoch Powell. And of course he was completely correct. The trouble is that these lefties and woke lot don’t ever have a valid argument for anything. Instead they try to attack us with nazi, fascist, racist, far right etc as if anyone really takes much notice of those words any more. They have unwittingly ( and they have zero wit) taken any power out of those words now. They are too stupid to see it too.
I think that's what got Navalny killed. Right before his death there was video of him joking with an official. Even the guard was laughing. They can't allow that.
Christopher Hitchens was spot on when he called irony a defence against tyranny. It’s something that most understood until the puritanical woke mind virus ran rampant and cancel culture silenced people. For too long those on the left have regarded themselves as having the moral high ground and those on the right have allowed it to happen. If only we had more ‘jesters’ who could hold up a mirror to the pompous, ideologues who currently hold sway. Their hold over us would evaporate. So I say cheers to those brave enough to make us laugh. Let’s have more Ricky Gervais and Babylon Bee. And bring back Graham Linehan.
I don't know who here follows Gareth Roberts: The Age of Stupid on Substack. He just published the latest in his Middle Classholes series - on Armando Iannucci - and it's a great piece that reminisces about satirical comedy in the 1990s and bemoans the cowardice of those once-heroes when they have been needed the most. Gareth is a very funny writer, who knows TV from the inside, and has been a staunch opponent of all things woke - what he collectively terms The Rubbish - especially transgender ideology. I believe Spiked have just published an edited version of his critique of Steve Coogan. Highly recommended. Thanks for this Frederick: very timely given the debate prompted by the asinine remarks Rosie Jones made recently about the policing of comedy.
Gareth Roberts is brilliant, and The Age of Stupid is one of the best things on Substack. Highly recommend. Thanks, Pynchon. I'm going to read the Iannucci piece today.
Good to see you here, David. Yes, good question. Yesterday, the writer @gurwinder made the interesting observation:
"Tech platforms love culture war because it automates demographic segmentation. When they know what you stand for, they know how to get your attention."
We visited Poland in 2007 with people from our church. One day I was speaking to a man who grew up at the time the Russians were calling the shots. He explained to me that the trains when filled with Polish goods traveled they travelled east. The implication was Poland served Russia. He said no, no with a nod and a wink, Russia is our big brother taking care of us.
Playing gracefully with ideas is what I’m trying to do with The Gadfly – not always as gracefully as I’d like, of course. Still, the freedom to think out loud, test ideas, and change our minds is essential to thinking clearly about the world. That's how I read Oscar Wilde's line.
Do you have any favourite satirists? Which targets are most in need of satire right now? Let me know your thoughts, and thanks for reading.
So very true! The Woke never joke.
I am glad to see a nod to Babylon Bee. I am a big fan of it - and I am getting loads of hate mail for sharing their gems. Because they are marked as “conservative”. And “good liberals” do not laugh to “conservative” humor.
Woke is the joke, we're just waiting for the punchline.
Brilliant and so true. As Anna above just said “the woke don’t joke”. They’ve all had a sense of humour bypass. I can’t stand people saying “you know you can’t say that”, well I can because I just did. And I will continue to do so. I am known for being someone who speaks before I think and lacking in tact but at least you know where you stand with me. I will tell you straight out what I think and I much prefer people like that. That’s one of the reasons I like Trump, he just says whatever he wants to. He doesn’t follow a script and he is bloody funny at times and his honesty is just brilliant. Keep on with the outspoken irony and truth bombs Frederick. I’m a fan.
Thanks, Angelique. Hitchens said something about this too:
“If someone tells me that I've hurt their feelings, I say, 'I'm still waiting to hear what your point is.'
In this country, I've been told, 'That's offensive' as if those two words constitute an argument or a comment. Not to me they don't."
Christopher Hitchens was such a clever man and certainly ahead of his time with what was coming our way with the Muslim immigrants and the wokerati. Much like Enoch Powell. And of course he was completely correct. The trouble is that these lefties and woke lot don’t ever have a valid argument for anything. Instead they try to attack us with nazi, fascist, racist, far right etc as if anyone really takes much notice of those words any more. They have unwittingly ( and they have zero wit) taken any power out of those words now. They are too stupid to see it too.
Did you see this one?
https://babylonbee.com/news/trump-disguises-himself-as-muslim-migrant-so-europe-will-let-him-invade-greenland
😂
I think that's what got Navalny killed. Right before his death there was video of him joking with an official. Even the guard was laughing. They can't allow that.
That's fascinating; I haven't heard that before. Entirely believable.
Couldn’t agree more, great piece as ever.
Christopher Hitchens was spot on when he called irony a defence against tyranny. It’s something that most understood until the puritanical woke mind virus ran rampant and cancel culture silenced people. For too long those on the left have regarded themselves as having the moral high ground and those on the right have allowed it to happen. If only we had more ‘jesters’ who could hold up a mirror to the pompous, ideologues who currently hold sway. Their hold over us would evaporate. So I say cheers to those brave enough to make us laugh. Let’s have more Ricky Gervais and Babylon Bee. And bring back Graham Linehan.
The way they treated Graham Linehan was shocking. Brave man. Yes, we need more jesters, absolutely.
Blackadder was pretty good too and Rowan Atkinson is a free speech advocate.
One of my favourites.
The weaker your faith in your convictions, the more sensitive you are to criticism.
The dictionary is a funny thing. Satirist=satyrist but satire does not equal satyr.
Thank you for this! Now to sharpen my pen…..
I don't know who here follows Gareth Roberts: The Age of Stupid on Substack. He just published the latest in his Middle Classholes series - on Armando Iannucci - and it's a great piece that reminisces about satirical comedy in the 1990s and bemoans the cowardice of those once-heroes when they have been needed the most. Gareth is a very funny writer, who knows TV from the inside, and has been a staunch opponent of all things woke - what he collectively terms The Rubbish - especially transgender ideology. I believe Spiked have just published an edited version of his critique of Steve Coogan. Highly recommended. Thanks for this Frederick: very timely given the debate prompted by the asinine remarks Rosie Jones made recently about the policing of comedy.
Gareth Roberts is brilliant, and The Age of Stupid is one of the best things on Substack. Highly recommend. Thanks, Pynchon. I'm going to read the Iannucci piece today.
https://theageofstupid.substack.com/
Another fascinating article Frederick.
Technology has amplified this problem and I wonder if technology could (should!) fix it?
An algo that promotes and rewards humour, satire, irony.
A 'like' button that has a few more options.
Web3 solutions that can send value to creators who contribute these public 'goods'!
Good to see you here, David. Yes, good question. Yesterday, the writer @gurwinder made the interesting observation:
"Tech platforms love culture war because it automates demographic segmentation. When they know what you stand for, they know how to get your attention."
We visited Poland in 2007 with people from our church. One day I was speaking to a man who grew up at the time the Russians were calling the shots. He explained to me that the trains when filled with Polish goods traveled they travelled east. The implication was Poland served Russia. He said no, no with a nod and a wink, Russia is our big brother taking care of us.
I looked it up; it's Thomas Moore. Good quote, thanks.