Intro:
Tell me dear reader; have you ever come across a person (online or in real life) who claims that their rubbish art or (edgy) statement was a parody? Sometimes the person might claim what was said (or made) was a satire of...something. The answer is most likely yes. Especially if you have been on the internet long enough. The reason I am talking about this is to muse on the strange pattern of people trying deflecting criticism with the claimant of satire or parody, without providing any evidence for the said claim. I will be showing some examples, I will just talk and hopefully inspire some thought.
The Ramble:
There is a game, you might have heard of it. It’s called Trump Loves Waifus. Don’t get it. It is one of the many cheap, ugly Hentai games that flood Steam’s bowls. However, I would like to you look at the store page. “This game is a parody. No political opinion is promoted here.” I would like to ask you, what exactly is the game parodying? It is not parodying the inherent absurdity of Trump or Hentai. It is just filled with lifeless, ugly dolls in an asset flipped world. So why tell the potential customer (upfront) that their asset flip is a parody when it is not? I call this: The Satire Shield.
It is a deflection tactic, a means of silencing criticism before it happens. Any time someone points out how crap and nonsensical the game is, Seedwall could just claim that it is just part of the parody/satire. Most people don't believe this and there is a good reason for this game's obscurity.
Just look at it.
(Seedwall declined to comment).
Another example of failed satire
Another famous example would be the Day above Ground music video: Asian Girlz. I will show let you decide what to think of this song. But after the backlash, and Day Above Ground’s tumble back into obscurity said (after a lot defensive blaming) that is was a satire. You cannot get the original video but the basic fact is still the same. If you have to explain to your audience that your game/music video/Facebook post is satire, you have failed to create good parody or satire. Satire and parody are more than just comedy because it has something to say.
This one tried to satirise the original song and it goes as well as one might suspect.
Airplane! is a brilliant parody of the (then) bankable disaster movie genre. It was making fun of the absurdity inherent to the genre to the point where some claim it killed it. DDLC is a fantastic satire because it deconstructs the artifice of the Dating Sim. What is Trump Loves Wifus saying about Trump or Hentai? The answer appears to be nothing. What was Day Above Ground saying about racism with Asian Girlz? Honestly, it doesn't matter, if they were intending to satirizing racism then that message got lost, or if they were just being stupid, pretending otherwise is just cowardly.
Conclusion:
There is no real conclusion to be had here. I suppose the lesson that should be learned (but probably never will be) is to not be a coward? Don’t make s**t art and own up to your opinions? I think that is a good moral lesson. Kids: Don’t be cowards and honesty wins the day. I will get off this soapbox now. Good night!
Sources:
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