Part of the problem, like the problem with Team America, is that the ideas still propagate even if you’re mocking them. The same is true of The Office, making fun of misogyny and racism by acting it out while trying to play it straight is very similar to acting it out earnestly. It’s not a defense to say it’s parodic or subtle or sarcastic.
More than anything, South Park was dominated by the shock factor. The content wasn’t particularly insightful, educational, or complex. It was mostly absurdism and shock, both fundamentally predicated on doing things other people weren’t willing to do because it was taboo or uncomfortable.
Did some young viewers come away with enlightened sensibilities? Probably. But RATM achieved the same goal without reproducing the messages of the movements that they were fighting against.
EvilBit@lemmy.world 3 days ago
This is exactly why I had to stop watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It’s brilliantly written satire most of the time, but I know people are getting the wrong ideas from it and laughing at truly despicable behavior that they’re going to emulate first for ironic humor, then eventually just because it’s hedonistically rewarding.
Chronographs@lemmy.zip 3 days ago
Personally I’m not going to stop watching something just because other people are too dumb to not emulate the goblins in it
TrickDacy@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Sad this is not upvoted 100 times.
kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
I do really appreciate that The Gang’s misbehavior always ends up screwing them over. That’s a big difference compared to South Park.
EvilBit@lemmy.world 3 days ago
That’s a very fair point. But even that level of “nuance” I think can be lost on an audience of many millions in a generation where a large proportion of kids make it to college without ever having read an entire adult-level book cover to cover.