DOI humor
Humor 2014; 27(2): 183 – 201
Rebecca Higgie
Kynical dogs and cynical masters Contemporary satire, politics and truth-tellingAbstract: This article proposes that the philosophical techniques found in contemporary satires can be understood using a spectrum that ranges between the cynical and the kynical. Cynicism is the belief that
there is no hope for change, that truth is dead, while kynicism – a non-nihilistic form of cynicism – maintains
that truth does exist, and is worth saving from political and media manipulations. By exploring the evolution of kynicism, from its origins in ancient Greek philosophy to its presence
in contemporary satire, I analyze how
The Chaser and
The Thick of It are complex examples of kynicism and cynicism respectively. I argue that by conceptualizing contemporary political satire using a dynamic spectrum, we may better understand how satire envisages politics
in a postmodern society and, in turn, how certain satires maybe more resistant to co-option by politicians or the modern cynic.”
