I never really tolerated this take on the show. And how many often accused Matt and Trey of being libertarians or even downright bigots even though they’re trying to make a socialist statement on civilisation or the topic of the week like gay marriage and treatment of disability in media and how people could potentially be faking it for exploitation both of which were actually very well done and progressive especially the tourettes example.
Also they’ve ruthless mocked Trump in a story arc not only once but twice. And their latest season is so aggressively ruthless and savage, It feels like they’re doing more for the liberal No Kings uprising than The current democratic party leaders who are all talk and no substance.
I’m not saying I don’t fully disagree with people’s disdain for the show (primarily the trans community. I can see why they hate South Park’s guts) but to consider it a permanent stain on basic human decency and a horrid influence for milennials is honestly pretty hair splitting if you’d ask me.
Am I missing something here within these folks? is punching sideways/mocking everyone equally really any worst than complete douchebags straight up punching down for the sake of pissing off the unfortunate because they find it hilarious (Looking at you Tony Hinchcliffe, and Babylon Bee)? Are the South Park guys really to blame for shaping an entire demographic into not caring about any Global Disputes with Current Affairs? Or did the boundaries pushing and subtle satire simply got lost in people who either grewed up into the very thing they were mocking or viewed it as a cesspool of nihlist Slop?
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.
Comment deleted and moved to correct thread.
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.
Personally I’m not going to stop watching something just because other people are too dumb to not emulate the goblins in it
Sad this is not upvoted 100 times.
I do really appreciate that The Gang’s misbehavior always ends up screwing them over. That’s a big difference compared to South Park.
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.