The Sanity of Satire: Surviving Politics One Joke at a Time - Hardcover

by Al Gini (Author), Abraham Singer (Author)

Political humor and satire are, perhaps, as old as comedy itself, and they are crucial to our society and our collective sense of self. Satire is confrontational. It's about pushback, dissent, discord, disappointment, and demonstrating the absurdity of the status quo. This book is an attempt to explore how these aspects of satire help secure our sanity.

Aristotle famously said that humans are naturally political animals. We need political community to flourish and live good lives. But politics also entails unpopular decisions, oppression, and power struggles. Satire is a vehicle through which we reflect on and challenge the irrational, incomprehensible, and intolerable nature of our lives without becoming totally despondent or depressed.

In a poignant, pithy, but not ponderous manner, Al Gini and Abraham Singer delve into the history of satire to rejoice in its triumphs and watch its development from ancient graffiti to the latest late-night TV talk show.

Author Biography

Al Gini is a professor of business ethics at Loyola University Chicago. For over twenty-seven years, he was the resident philosopher on National Public Radio's Chicago affiliate, WBEZ-FM.

Abraham Singer is assistant professor of business ethics at Loyola University Chicago. He thinks he's funny.