Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace about a given problem and appealing to people's sense of justice. Social commentary can be practiced through all forms of communication, from printed form, to conversations to computerized communication.
42-400: Sarah Jane Vowell (born December 27, 1969) is an American historian, author, journalist, essayist, social commentator and actress. She has written seven nonfiction books on American history and culture. Vowell was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio International from 1996 to 2008, where she produced numerous commentaries and documentaries. She
84-408: A certain "incident" that occurred and secret police are dispatched to kill people who remember the event or don't take the pills and the citizens are forced to wear masks that mold faces in permanent smiles. The main character is presented with a choice at the start of the game: to take the "happiness pill" or to abstain. If the player takes the pill, the game ends and the credits roll , whereas if
126-631: A child she attended church three times a week and seldom travelled. She has described herself as a “culturally Christian atheist”. Vowell lives in Manhattan , New York. She is on the advisory board of 826NYC , a nonprofit tutoring and writing center for students aged 6–18 in Brooklyn . Social commentary Two examples of strong and bitter social commentary are the writings of Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift and German priest Martin Luther . Swift decried
168-564: A flight to Germany . An early radio monologist was the American Will Rogers , with sharp and good-humored observations upon society during the 1920s and 1930s. Current American monologists include: There are a number of discussion shows that do not have a call in segments, but which sometimes have discussions (beyond mere interviews) with personages of current interest. In the United States of America, some such shows include: In
210-486: A minor character in the ABC drama Six Degrees . She appeared in an episode of HBO's Bored to Death , as an interviewer in a bar, and in 2010, appeared briefly in the film Please Give , as a shopper. Vowell also appeared on The Daily Show as a Senior Historical Context Correspondent. Vowell writes that she has a small amount of Cherokee Nation ancestry (about 1/8 on her mother's side and 1/16 on her father's side). She
252-560: A review for The New York Times , Charles P. Pierce wrote, "Vowell wanders through the history of the American Revolution and its immediate aftermath, using Lafayette's involvement in the war as a map, and bringing us all along in her perambulations… and doing it with a wink." NPR reviewer Colin Dwyer wrote, "It's awfully refreshing to see Vowell bring our founders down from their lofty pedestals. In her telling, they're just men again, not
294-435: A similar function to the letters section described above. It is ripe with social commentary because it allows the dissemination of ideas by anyone with a computer to a potentially enormous audience, as well as instant comment and discussion. Its international scope is particularly attractive, with language the only major barrier to communication. Discussion and debate occurs in many forums and chat rooms . Lafayette in
336-504: A social commentary and one can find some degree of social commentary in almost any novel. To Kill a Mockingbird can be interpreted as a commentary on racial issues, especially given the date of its publication (1960). Another example of social commentary is Thomas More 's Utopia in which he uses the Utopia to satirize the values of 16th century Britain. Social commentaries have been searched for even in fantasy novels such as The Lord of
378-416: A topic will respond to comments from listeners after an introductory interactive discussion directed by the moderator, with only the obstreperous or extreme caller summarily terminated. What is probably the most common social commentary is that of the editorial section of newspapers, where columnists give their opinion on current affairs. The letters section of papers allows a similar platform for members of
420-491: Is gorgeously American: She collects facts and stores them like a nervous chipmunk, digesting them only for the sake of argument." Allegra Goodman , writing in The Washington Post , describes the work as "a big gulp of a book, printed as an extended essay... Lacking section or chapter breaks, Vowell's quirky history lurches from one anecdote to the next. These are often entertaining, but in the aggregate they begin to sound
462-494: Is known to produce street art that raises public issues such as slave Labour, loss of childhood and the effects of war. Social commentary photography's purpose is to "expose social issues on ethics, society, religious, the way of life, how people live and other similarities." Sometimes this includes the harsh reality of society such as homelessness, discrimination, war and defenceless children. "Social Commentary artists try their best to create artworks in order to convey messages to
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#1732855023242504-561: Is not a citizen of the Cherokee Nation or any other tribe. She retraced the path of the forced removal of the Cherokee from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma, known as the Trail of Tears , with her twin sister Amy. In 1998, This American Life chronicled her story, devoting the entire hour to her work. Vowell spent many vacations with her sister and nephew visiting historical sites. As
546-618: The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1999. Vowell's articles have been published in The Village Voice , Esquire , Spin Magazine , The New York Times , The Los Angeles Times , SF Weekly , and The Washington Post . She has been a regular contributor to the online magazine Salon.com , and was one of the original contributors to McSweeney's , participating in many of
588-432: The quarterly 's readings and shows. Vowell's first book, Radio On: A Listener's Diary (1997), which featured her year-long diary of listening to the radio in 1995, caught the attention of This American Life host Ira Glass , and it led to Vowell becoming a frequent contributor to the show. Thereafter, segments on the show became the subjects for many of her subsequent published essays. Vowell's first essay collection
630-762: The Duck . Many other even more explicitly provocative comics (usually with a far left of center point of view) appear in various free weekly newspapers such as the San Francisco Bay Guardian and the East Bay Express (in the San Francisco Bay Area ) and the Village Voice (in New York City ), and similarly in many other locals, often those with a strong university or college presence. The web performs
672-539: The Earth a better place, however without the input of many passionate individuals the UNGA would not be able to achieve this. Influential public speakers such as Pope Francis , Malala Yousafzai , President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II , comment of society's issues. This allows the UNGA to directly listen to the issues at hand and address them accordingly. Allegorical fictional works such as Animal Farm clearly contain
714-487: The Rings , though such connections often require much conjecture, or in modern satirical fables. Directly speaking to a topic in the social discourse in writing by defining the audience, the bounds of the topic, and the presenting facts and opinions based on the primarily author and possibly on another's perspective. Fictional works in these mediums have a similar scope to that of their literary counterparts and documentaries to
756-665: The United States as part of the Revenge of the Book Eaters national tour, which benefited the children's literacy centers 826NYC , 826CHI , 826 Valencia , 826LA , 826 Michigan, and 826 Seattle . Vowell also provided commentary in Robert Wuhl ’s 2005 Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl HBO specials. Vowell provided the voice of Violet Parr , a shy teenager, in the 2004 Pixar animated film The Incredibles , and returned to her role for
798-672: The alternative rock band They Might Be Giants , entitled Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns , and she appeared with band members John Linnell and John Flansburgh in the DVD commentary for the movie. She also provided commentary for the April 2006 episode "Murder at the Fair: The Assassination of President McKinley," one of ten in the History Channel miniseries 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America . In September 2006, Vowell appeared as
840-656: The appalling conditions faced by Irish Catholics under the rule of the Protestant Ascendancy in A Modest Proposal , while Martin Luther decried corruption in the Catholic Church in his Ninety-five Theses . Examples of social commentators from the lower social strata are Charles Dickens and Will Rogers . This list is far from exhaustive. Examples of social commentary may be found in any form of communication. Artistic works of all mediums are often defined by what they say about society. Despite being wordless,
882-524: The common use of double entendre , humour and metaphor as well as monikers to avoid legal complications (see Calypso Music ). The slasher film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre also uses animal rights social commentary, in the form of the movie being a metaphor , the chainsaw victims being treated like animals in slaughterhouses and then put into fridges, tenderised , and hung on meat hooks and in an interview, Russel Simmons said: "The way that woman
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#1732855023242924-727: The community." Due to the fact that the photos are of real life situations, the contents can be perceived to be more confronting than other visual forms of social commentary. An example are the works of photojournalist and war photographer James Nachtwey . James Nachtwey's works include the Rwanda Genocide (1994), the Somalia famine (1992) and the Jakarta Riots (1998) and the September 11 attacks in 2001. Most public speaking constitutes social commentary of some form. Many sermons will describe
966-482: The crucible of modernity." This notion has been present in art throughout time. An example is Vincent Van Gogh's 1885 painting ' The Potato Eaters '. This picture depicts a group of poverty stricken people gathered in a small room around a table. Vincent Van Gogh created this piece of artwork in order to present a confronting time to the viewer. A modern example is street art , also known as graffiti . With an international reputation, artist and political activist Banksy
1008-438: The film's sequel, Incredibles 2 , in 2018. Vowell also voiced the character in various related video games, and for Disney on Ice presentations in the years following the film's release. Director Brad Bird heard Vowell on This American Life , "Guns", in which she and her father fire a homemade cannon and determined Vowell’s voice fit the character. Pixar made a test animation for Violet using audio from that sequence, which
1050-414: The gods we've long since made of them." Vowell has appeared on television shows such as Nightline , The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , The Colbert Report , Jimmy Kimmel Live! , Late Show with David Letterman , and Late Night with Conan O'Brien . In April 2006, Vowell served as the keynote speaker at the 27th Annual Kentucky Women Writers Conference. In August and September 2006, she toured
1092-567: The ills of society and offer religious solutions. Many politicians may speak in a similar fashion – in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar one can see Mark Antony 's funeral speech as a commentary. The larger audience offered by radio and television has diminished the significance of public speaking as a means of social commentary. The United Nations General Assembly is one of the biggest global organisations that focus of planet Earth and humans. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) strive to make
1134-412: The interview, he also states his opinions on government action, requesting school classes on drugs , “real” sex education , scams , religious cults , police brutality , apartheid , American racism , poverty , and food insecurity . Other subjects such as foreign languages , are written off by 2Pac, saying that he doesn't need to learn German , he says he can hardly pay his rent, let alone book
1176-463: The late 20th century through the present, radio and television phone-in shows allow limited discussion and sometimes debate on such issues, although if involving politics or issues exploited for political purposes the discussion is often directed by the "moderator" toward a specific point of view, typically by terminating non-conforming phone calls. In more balanced forums it is common that a panel of well-known social commentators or experts on aspects of
1218-631: The memorable image of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 may be considered one of the most profound commentaries of the power of the individual. Inspiration for some artists can come from issues that are present today. Deborah Silverman, Professor of History and Art History at the University of California in Los Angeles, states that the "Analysis of particular visual forms expands to an interpretation of art and artists as carriers of cultural history in
1260-710: The non-fiction works described above. Television and films often use powerful images to enhance their message, for example, Michael Moore 's films utilise this to great effect in promoting his political beliefs. Some examples of films include Food, Inc. , The Story of Stuff featuring Annie Leonard , and Morgan Spurlock 's Super Size Me . And to a lesser degree, the prominent Italian exploitation film Cannibal Holocaust uses graphic violence, shocking imagery, and underlying topics in anthropology to express Ruggero Deodato 's distaste for modern society – more importantly – what it has become. West Indian calypsonians participate annually in songwriting competitions with
1302-490: The player pick the latter, they begin the game. George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is also written as a critique of totalitarianism . A lot of hip hop associated with gangsta rap or conscious rap uses sociopolitical commentary, such as N.W.A's protest song " Fuck Tha Police " or Chamillionaire and Krayzie Bone's " Ridin ", typically against black racial profiling and police brutality and music from gangsta rap artist 2Pac also speak of
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1344-539: The poverty in inner cities and racism in the United States and 1991 2Pac song Trapped discusses an incident in which 2Pac was assaulted by a police officer and talks about police brutality in the United States . In a 1988 interview about societal perspective, rapper 2Pac said “More kids are being handed crack than being handed diplomas.” and "Society is like that. They’ll let you go as far as you want, but as soon as you start asking too many questions and you’re ready to change, boom, that block will come". In
1386-562: The protagonists are cyber vigilantes that rebel against an all-seeing government, uses social commentary against mass surveillance . 1999 film The Matrix and 1932 book Brave New World provide commentary on the Blissful ignorance effect , where in The Matrix, the protagonist named Neo can choose the red pill, a dark truth, or the blue pill, a blissful lie to stay in the Matrix or to wake up in
1428-457: The public. Editorial cartoons , such as those in The New Yorker , perform a social commentary, often with a humorous slant. The conventional comic section is more limited, but sometimes with social commentary, often subtle and oblique, or more bold, abrasive, and consistently pointed as in, Li'l Abner , Pogo , Doonesbury , Bloom County , and Boondocks or in pulp comics such as Howard
1470-460: The real world and in Brave New World the character has a choice whether or not to take soma , a drug used by the totalitarian government to keep the people happy and docile, both inspired by Plato's Cave which some consider a metaphor for life. In a similar situation, the fascist government of video game We Happy Few use drugs to keep people in a state of mania , to forget
1512-554: The same..." Goodman also wrote that "Vowell tells a good tale" with "shrewd observations", but that she found that "the narrative wears thin where casual turns cute and cute threatens to turn glib." Her most recent book is Lafayette in the Somewhat United States (2015), an account of the Marquis de Lafayette , a French aristocrat who became George Washington 's trusted officer and friend, and afterward an American celebrity. In
1554-775: The settlement of the New England Puritans in America and their contributions to American history. Also in 2008, Vowell's essay about Montana appeared in the book State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America . Vowell wrote Unfamiliar Fishes (2011), which discusses the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Newlands Resolution . In April 2011, the book became a New York Times Bestseller . In her Los Angeles Times review, Susan Salter Reynolds wrote that Vowell's "cleverness
1596-676: Was Take the Cannoli (2000), which was followed by The Partly Cloudy Patriot (2002). In 2005, Vowell served as a guest columnist for The New York Times during several weeks in July, briefly filling in for Maureen Dowd . Vowell also served as a guest columnist in February 2006. Her book Assassination Vacation (2005) describes a road trip to tourist sites devoted to the murders of presidents Abraham Lincoln , James A. Garfield and William McKinley . Vowell's book, The Wordy Shipmates (2008), analyzes
1638-612: Was also the voice of Violet Parr in the 2004 animated film The Incredibles and its 2018 sequel . Sarah Vowell was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 27, 1969. Her family moved to Bozeman, Montana when she was eleven. She has a fraternal twin sister, Amy. Vowell graduated from Bozeman High School . She earned a B.A. from Montana State University in 1993 in Modern Languages and Literature, and an M.A. in Art History from
1680-418: Was included on the DVD of The Incredibles . Vowell also wrote and was featured in a documentary included on the same DVD, entitled "Vowellett—An Essay by Sarah Vowell", in which she reflects on the difference between being an author of history books on assassinated presidents and voicing the superhero Violet, and on what the role meant to her nephew. Vowell was featured prominently in the 2002 documentary about
1722-582: Was made to promote " being civil ", and uses language in the film such as " savages ". A lot of books and games from the Cyberpunk genre , including 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077 use social commentary usually as a means of questioning technology (ex: "Will technology make us selfish?") or questioning unethical megacorporations , as in most Cyberpunk plots the megacorporations are antagonised and demonised and Cyberpunk also sheds light on poverty-related issues. The video game series Watch Dogs , in which
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1764-546: Was screaming, ‘Aaaahhh,’ and she's running away—that's how every animal you eat is running for his or her life". The shockumentary Mondo Cane also provided social commentary, as in one frame, there are dogs being walked in San Francisco and in the other, in Papua New Guinea people are eating dog meat , using cultures different from Western culture to shock the viewer and make them feel uncomfortable. Mondo Cane
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