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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Grimhelm" data-source="post: 4509675" data-attributes="member: 37079">Plato is often referred to in Western political discourse. Many of his philosophies and thoughts are mirrored in those of Thomas Jefferson and the early founders of the United States of America. This is a general and terse summary of his aims and how he tried to approach political thought: The philosophy of Plato is marked by the usage of dialectic, a method of discussion involving ever more profound insights into the nature of reality, and by cognitive optimism, a belief in the capacity of the human mind to attain the truth and to use this truth for the rational and virtuous ordering of human affairs.  Here is the purpose of satire, restated: From ancient times satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises — vanity, hypocrisy, pedantry, idolatry, bigotry, sentimentality — and to effect reform through such exposure. These two thoughts go hand in hand. In order to begin meaningful political dialogue that "orders human affairs in a virtuous and rational manner", we must first come at the dialogue from the most truthful position attainable.  Of course it is dangerous to speak of "truth" as if it were a thing that could be painted, yet we must agree that there are certain truths that we do indeed hold to be self evident, and that these truths should and must govern us in our political aims.  Therefore, it seems fitting to me that we should use whatever tools are at our disposal to get at these fundamental and self evident truths; truths that are so often sullied by the very political discourse we are trying to elevate in a rational and virtuous manner. One tool to expose truth (or at least what is left after we strip away foolishness) is (by an agreed upon definition) satire.  There are other methods, yet inevitably, even in the classic dialectics of Socrates and Plato, the foolish ideas being discussed are often exposed in a very humorous way. It is absolute balderdash to dismiss satire as nothing more than "mean spirited teasing of beliefs". It is anything but. It has been used since the dawn of political times by men as "intellectual" as Socrates and Plato, and to some degree, Aristotle. Having said this, I will maintain that satire is a vital component to rational and virtuous governance. It is, for all intents and purposes, the very foundation upon which rationality is based, for what do we have when foolishness is stripped away? Wisdom? At the very least we have something that is not silly or irrational. From this standpoint we may go on to speak in terms of truth and rationality. From here we may hope for reasonable and honest political discourse.</blockquote>

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