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What I claim
is to live to the full the contradiction of my time, which
may well make sarcasm the condition of truth.
-- Roland Barthes
1915-1980, French Semiologist
Satire is
tragedy plus time. You give it enough time, the public, the
reviewers will allow you to satirize it. Which is rather
ridiculous, when you think about it.
-- Lenny Bruce
1925-1966, American Comedian
Fools are my
theme, let satire be my song.
-- Lord Byron
1788-1824, British Poet
The satirist
is prevented by repulsion from gaining a better knowledge of
the world he is attracted to, yet he is forced by attraction
to concern himself with the world that repels him.
-- Italo Calvino
1923-1985, Cuban Writer,
Essayist, Journalist
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Sarcasm I now
see to be, in general, the language of the devil; for which
reason I have long since as good as renounced it.
-- Thomas Carlyle
1795-1881, Scottish
Philosopher, Author
What arouses
the indignation of the honest satirist is not, unless the
man is a prig, the fact that people in positions of power or
influence behave idiotically, or even that they behave
wickedly. It is that they conspire successfully to impose
upon the public a picture of themselves as so very
sagacious, honest and well-intentioned.
-- Claud Cockburn
1904-1981, British Author,
Journalist
By rights,
satire is a lonely and introspective occupation, for nobody
can describe a fool to the life without much patient
self-inspection.
-- Frank Moore Colby
1865-1925, American Editor,
Essayist
I believe no
satirist could breathe this air. If another Juvenal or Swift
could rise up among us tomorrow, he would be hunted down. If
you have any knowledge of our literature, and can give me
the name of any man, American born and bred, who has
anatomized our follies as a people, and not as this or that
party; and who has escaped the foulest and most brutal
slander, the most inveterate hatred and intolerant pursuit;
it will be a strange name in my ears, believe me.
-- Charles Dickens
1812-1870, British Novelist
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