Automotive Satire

"Slant6" (slant-6) 01/07/2014 at 19:41 • Filed to: None

1

16

For my English Mid term I have to write an in class satire piece. I want to do an automotive satire piece. I was thinking of a something regarding the chicken tax or a sarcastic rave review of a Mitsubishi Galant. Maybe sarcastically defend electronic steering or electronic everything in cars these days (electric hand brakes...)

Any ideas?

Remember there is a difference between Satire and Parody (I'm not too clear on the differences, but it's something like parody is imitating another author's style for comedic affect and satire is more ridicule of something the author does not like)

Tom McParland > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:43

2

Have you read any of Autoblopnik's stuff? Pure brilliant satire.

Stef Schrader > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:47

0

I <3 satire. If I thought I could get away with it, I'd write more of it on here.

Autoblopnik is good. The Onion seems hit-or-miss lately, but it's what everyone commonly thinks of.

I like your ideas—just remember to turn the absurdity up to 11.

midnightautoparts > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:48

0

Flying nuclear cars should do it.

Lets Just Drive > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:51

0

Watch Regular Car reviews.

Parrot.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:53

0

Read Doug DeMuro's book.
If you can find my post on Oppo about Jeep's history in F1 give it a read, it is the best satire that I have ever written.

911e46z06 > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 19:54

0

Rave propaganda-ey review of a terrible old Soviet car would be pretty funny. Like the one from TG with the sub-model for people with one foot.

Slant6 > Lets Just Drive 01/07/2014 at 19:57

0

That was the first thing I thought of.

davedave1111 > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 20:13

1

Satire's just about the hardest thing to write well. If you're not even quite sure what it is, you're going to struggle. The key point of satire isn't the use of humour, but the use of humour to highlight something that truly is absurd or ridiculous. You don't ridicule something, so much as allow it to ridicule itself.

AMC/Renauledge > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 20:27

0

Write a piece extolling the fun-to-drive virtues of the Toyota Camry. Grounded to the ground. Handles like a boss. All of that.

BJohnson11 > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 20:35

0

Is your audience in the know about cars? If not, doing a satire piece on electronic steering or the Mitsu Galant might not translate well, because people not in the know won't know whats so bad about those things.

Slant6 > davedave1111 01/07/2014 at 20:35

0

Basically exaggerating faults? I understand it more than you may think. I'm not too sure on the differences between satire and parody, probably because we haven't done a parody unit in class yet (I don't think it's part of the 11th grade English Curriculum anyway). I think you're an english teacher (I remember a Dave saying that they taught english on some post a week ago), do you have anything in the modern automotive world that could be easily satirized? I'm thinking I could do how infotainment systems with touch screens don't allow the climate control to be adjusted with gloves on.

Slant6 > BJohnson11 01/07/2014 at 20:42

0

I thought of that. I'm hoping that I can make it obvious enough that I'm against these things and my exaggerated faults will persuade people against electric hand brakes and all touch based infotainment systems. It's like I'm bringing these issues to light to people that never thought about what they would use to stop if their brakes were to completely fail (this is rare, but they don't know that).

davedave1111 > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 21:03

0

First up:

"I think you're an english teacher (I remember a Dave saying that they taught english on some post a week ago)"

Not me. Or at least, only informally to all my friends who speak English as a second language :)

"Basically exaggerating faults?"

Yes and no. The faults have to be ridiculous in themselves, to make good satire. Your example of the touchscreen not working with gloves is a good one, because it's inherently slightly ridiculous (in the literal sense) for someone to stab fumble-fingered at the display in thick gloves.

"I'm not too sure on the differences between satire and parody, probably because we haven't done a parody unit in class yet"

You might use parody as your method of satire. Or just for humour. Satire's about what you want to say, parody's about how you say it.

SpeedSix > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 21:46

0

Make sure you post the best parts to Oppo and tag it with satire!

SpeedSix > Slant6 01/07/2014 at 21:47

0

You should try imagining the most ridiculous combination of two car companies and then "justify" why they should merge.

pollenstein > Slant6 01/09/2014 at 00:03

0

sniffpetrol.com - take a good look through the archives

Anything else is just an imitation.