Literary discussion?

[Steven Koteff]

Just a passing thought but maybe the best or truest satire in this sense is just life affirmative satire? That is, even if it is horrifically depressing or cynical, it takes as its premise an idealistic understanding of how life and/or the world MIGHT be. 

> On Dec 30, 2015, at 7:39 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> the jacket for SUBMISSION quotes Adam Gopnick ( New Yorker) calling Houellebecq " not only a satire but a sincere ( in italics) satirist, genuinely saddened by the absurdities of history And  madnesses of mankind" 
> 
> My question: how does a sincere satirist differ from an insincere one? Only answer I can think of is that it is Effective, real, artistic satire--contrasted with failed satire, not right, not deep, not original. .....
> Pynchon's satire is sincere, right? swift's, of course, right?  I thought it was a virtual truism that the best satire springs from idealism ( sincere) showing up the real world's failings. 
> 
> Sent from my iPad-
> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
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