Satire

The above cartoon is an example of contemporary, Horatian satire. The picture portrays a recently hatched chick using Facebook on a laptop and the surprised reaction from its parent. It mocks how, today, technology is becoming increasingly present in the lives of children. In Horatian satire, the tone is more witty and accepting than in the angry, pessimistic Juvenalian satire.This cartoon is simply making fun of the new generation for its involvement with technology, not deeply scolding or criticizing it. Clearly, because this topic is fairly new and technology with the youth has not been an overarching, timeless problem for humanity, this cartoon is considered contemporary. This example of satire intends to ridicule the youngest members of society, as well as the generation who raised them, for the prominence of social media and technology in their lives. The author wants his or her work to be a call to action. How can children grow and experience the world around them, observing and exploring like the chicks in the background of the cartoon, if they're constantly staring at a computer screen?