Democracy divides people into workers and loafers. It makes no provision for those who have no time to work.
Karl KrausRead
Satire that the censor understands is rightly censored.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Effective satire can only be appreciated if those in power recognize it, otherwise it is deemed inappropriate.
This quote by Karl Kraus highlights the idea that satire's effectiveness is diminished when it is understood by those it critiques. When censors grasp the humor or critique contained in satirical works, they may react by censoring it, which suggests that satire is most impactful when it eludes those in authority, exposing their hypocrisy or folly without their recognition. Therefore, censorship of satire often signifies that the satire has done its job in challenging power dynamics and societal norms.
Themes
SatireCensorshipHumorPowerCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about freedom of expression, this quote can be used to highlight the tension between satire and censorship.
More from Karl Kraus
All quotes βThe mission of the press is to spread culture while destroying the attention span.
Karl KrausRead
War: first, one hopes to win; then one expects the enemy to lose; then, one is satisfied that he too is suffering; in the end, one is surprised that everyone has lost.
Karl KrausRead
Stupidity is an elemental force for which no earthquake is a match.
Karl KrausRead
Experiences are savings which a miser puts aside. Wisdom is an inheritance which a wastrel cannot exhaust.
Karl KrausRead
Sexuality poorly repressed unsettles some families; well repressed, it unsettles the whole world.
Karl KrausRead
Similar quotes
The best thing about humour is that it shows people they are not alone.
Sid CaesarRead
I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers.
Rudyard KiplingRead
So that's why one of my rules of parody writing is that it's gotta be funny regardless of whether you know the source material. It has to work on its own merit.
Al YankovicRead
All assassins had a full-length mirror in their rooms, because it would be a terrible insult to anyone to kill them when you were badly dressed.
Terry PratchettRead
There is little success where there is little laughter.
Andrew CarnegieRead
A genuine sense of humor is having a light touch: not beating reality into the ground but appreciating reality with a light touch. The basis of Shambhala vision is rediscovering that perfect and real sense of humor, that light touch of appreciation.
Chogyam TrungpaRead