Horatian Satire

Words: 1635
Pages: 7

Cell Phones Run the World In a world run by cell phones, tablets, and computers, it is hard to tell when the usage stops being a simple convenience, and becomes an unhealthy addiction. In 2013, and ABC News reporter, Joanna Stern, wrote “61% of Americans owned smartphones” (Stern). This is an incredible number, and in the last two years, it could only have increased. Cell phones are a prominent part of day-to-day life, because they enable one to accomplish almost anything through the touch of a button. Many people feel that cell phones are a necessity, and bring great ease to people’s lives, but of course others find many issues with the excessive use of smartphones. With the rise in technology, many satirists weigh in on the subject, by using verbal irony, pathos, overstatement, parody, and mockery to poke fun at the obsession people of all age groups have with their cell phones. One way satirists can go about mocking the group of men and women with cell phone addictions is through a Horatian tone. In satire, those who use a more light-hearted and joking tone are considered Horatian satirists. The radio news report by a satirist at The Onion, is very light-hearted, and does …show more content…
The Onion is one example of a satirist using mockery to get their point across. In the radio news piece, editor of The Onion, Cole Bolton, makes fun of the intense need people have to be around their cell phones by going as far as stating that, “Pulp died of a sudden lack of wireless service” (Bolton). The entire radio broadcast is making a mockery of how large of a deal people make when their cell phones become lost. Bolton uses mockery to show people that many men and women are so addicted to their smartphones, that losing one can be equated to death. It is completely ridiculous, but almost believe in today’s society. Bolton uses mockery over the radio, but there are many other places mockery can be