When I first started this supplement, I wasn’t a big fan of satire.
In class, whenever I would have to read Hunter S. Thompson, he would give me a headache because I didn’t understand why he was writing this way or what the point of it was. And that “modest proposal” by Jonathan Swift? I believed him (he made a very good argument as to why we should eat babies).
I’m proven on a daily basis by my fellow editors that I’m not the best when it comes to making a satirical joke or even getting one of theirs.
So why did I decide to this? At first it was because I knew many people liked satire and it would be popular among the York community. But after delving deeper, I stayed with the idea because I learned that satire was much more than an exaggerated, funny story on a page. It was a story with a point, cleverly written. If we look at A Modest Proposal by Swift or any article by Thompson, they all had points to their stories and truths buried behind all the sarcasm and exaggeration. They brought up important issues that need to be dealt with and the best part is they make you laugh while hitting you with the truth.
Throughout this supplement, you’ll (probably) find yourself laughing quite a bit, but more importantly, you’ll (hopefully) understand the point behind each piece. You’ll see that our food experience at York is shameful, our overcrowding problem at Scott Library is detrimental, and tuition is costing us an arm and a leg. These are all York issues that students can relate to and instead of writing about how these issues are growing in plain writing, we’ve decided to write these issues in a funny, clever way.
So after reading this supplement and understanding York a little bit better, I hope you think about the real issues inside and why they need to be dealt with while enjoying a nice, long laugh. And hey, if you don’t get it, don’t worry. Just give it time (I usually give myself five seconds).
Victoria Alarcon
Features & Opinions Editor
DISCLAIMER: This issue contains works of satire. All names used in this story are invented, except in cases where public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names or events is accidental and coincidental.
