Satire and mockery writers worldwide are generally few, given the difficulty of this genre of writing, alongside the prevalence of serious writing in readers' lives, as it is more closely linked to their daily lives and reflects their overall circumstances. Satirical writing is a transparent blend of bitterness and humor, as Al-Mutanabbi eloquently condensed it in his famous poem, saying: "Yet laughter echoed, akin to weeping". In this poem, he remarks: "I laughed and found myself weeping with the masses, as heavens shed tears upon us. And amidst Egypt's laughter-filled scenes, Yet he laughs like crying.' Satire, according to the writer and novelist Dostoevsky, is "the last resort for a humble and simple people."
Since the outbreak of war in Yemen, mockery and satire have become the last resort for Yemenis. Consequently, social media has become the space where they blend bitterness with humor to confront injustice, the harshness of days, and the bitterness of life. However, just as war has distorted many aspects of our lives, satirical writing and content creation have not escaped its effects. Satire, for many, has turned into a laughing-stock. Hence, there is a distinction between the two. Mockery is a clever joke that conveys a state of awareness to the common people, relying on linguistic, situational, and humanistic ironies. It is also the oldest weapon for humans, harking back to when they fled to caves, drawing themselves on cave walls while jabbing them with a tree branch. This is how they mocked and laughed at themselves, unlike laughing-stock, which turns things into a mass of vulgar crudeness, distorting awareness.
With the emergence of YouTube and other visual platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, the number of content creators who believe they are providing satirical content without the slightest sense of creativity, has multiplied. Conversely, some satirical content creators on social media platforms face continuous attacks and criticism from individuals who consider themselves to be characterized by consciousness, serious culture, and maturity (deep thinkers). However, this becomes apparent when these individuals give likes (laughs and likes on these platforms) to writers they believe are sarcastic satirists expressing themselves, while in reality, they are only practicing sarcasm against their opponents. They then attack them based on the fact that they belong to the opposing side in the conflict, which has created this fierce antagonistic division. Consequently, this division enables each side to employ possible tools in their battle against each other, including the writing they consider satirical, which in reality has no connection to the value and essence of this writing, even as it attempts to elicit superficial laughter from the recipient.
Satirical writing is the fundamental human response to the fear of death, according to the Italian philosopher Umberto Eco, and it holds immense significance in its human dimensions, especially in times like these. Further, it is not politicized, distorted, or used for the benefit of a particular channel, party, group, or individuals, nor is it about settling personal scores. More importantly, satirical writing is not a trivial pursuit that people turn to as an escape from important issues; rather, it is the poignant expression of a sad person, conveying a state of awareness in the guise of a smile.
Moreover, the other issue lies in the belief of many individuals that the satirical writing or the art of satire is devoid of rights. This is evident in the frequent plagiarism of its few examples on social media platforms, which are then shared and published without crediting or mentioning the original creator. Thus, when confronted, individuals of this mindset often respond dismissively with arrogance, saying, 'Oh, it's just a joke,' as if the true producer did not imbue it with their personal experience of sadness and bitterness.
“Satirical writing is described as offensive, incisive criticism, but at the same time, it portrays paradoxes and humorous scenes smoothly and without embellishments or dry photographic finesse”
Likewise, Al-Jahiz and Al-Tawhidi documented the daily life of their past era through satirical tales and humorous paradoxes. Many are unaware that satirical writing is a product of its time and the culture of its society, with its own intellectual rights yielding both moral and material returns. It serves as a vital and significant reference for understanding the environments that produce it and the thought processes therein. Contrary to what many believe, it is not easy for a writer or a satirical artist to evoke a smile using a sharp mockery. They essentially write to and address everyone, not just a specific group or elite. It is also crucial for satirical writers and mocking artists to possess a high level of intelligence and perceptiveness, especially those living under oppressive authorities and systems, such as religious authorities, that seek to numb people's minds and turn them into rigid masses. Through their intelligence and perceptiveness, satirical writers can critique these authorities with their arrogance and oppressive tools, dismantling their discourse without causing them to explode and scatter on their heads.
Throughout Arab political history and the struggle for power and governance, famous figures have hidden behind satirical writing to criticize both temporal and spiritual tyranny that the rulers devoted to perpetuating the ruling system that they controlled. In the Umayyad and Abbasid eras and their aftermath, narratives have preserved numerous details about the works of influential names such as Al-Jahiz, Ibn al-Muqaffa, Ibn al-Rumi, Al-Akhtal, Al-Farazdaq, and Abu Nuwas. These figures mocked the prevailing style of governance, with some satirizing the behavior of desert dwellers, their traditions, and practices, considering them crude compared to the diverse and culturally rich behavior of urban dwellers.
In advanced stages, particularly in modern times, the impact of satirical writing has become effective and rapidly spread through circulation and narratives. For many, it is considered more important, expressive, and powerful than traditional writing. However, with the growth of awareness and understanding of the message of satirical writing as a critical art form, this type of writing confuses some readers as they struggle to distinguish between what is serious and what is humorous. It relies primarily on momentary scenes that condense the idea and intensify it to create a story for reflection and contemplation that remains in the recipient's memory. Sarcastic satirical writing is described as offensive, incisive criticism, but at the same time, it portrays paradoxes and humorous scenes smoothly and without embellishments or dry photographic finesse.
In conclusion, I recall the quote of the English literary author and writer, George Bernard Shaw, who once said:
"My style of joking is to tell the truth."
