The recent episodes of South Park released on Paramount+ are loud, vulgar and absurdly provocative. They are also exactly what America needs.
The constant stream of muddled information clogging our phones feels more like overwhelming chaos than news lately, ironic in a time when people – especially young people – need to be more informed than ever. In an era where media is increasingly geared toward entertainment and profit rather than knowledge and awareness, pop culture is overflowing with unimportant and false information. It is impossible to navigate, and using it to bring attention to real, severe issues feels like a futile task.
However, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have managed to grab the attention of an entire nation. Not with fascinating research or persuasive argument, but by screaming their message from the rooftops and plastering the president’s face onto a tiny body in bed with the devil.
The unhinged scenes might be disturbing to some, but they effectively achieve their purpose: they get attention. Whether that attention is good or bad does not matter — the ironic scenarios force people to face the very real problems in our current American society. The ICE raid on Randy’s farm references the countless people ripped from their homes and families unjustly. The demonic rituals around Labubu dolls reflect the concerning levels of obsessive consumerism normalized among children. The complete disregard – even support – South Park news reporters have for the president’s relationship with the devil himself is a parody of the fact that, despite felony charges and sexual assault lawsuits, the current administration still has committed followers willing to ignore or downplay these controversies.
At times when watching, the out-of-pocket scenes felt like a representation of the American social and political climate itself — tumultuous and painfully ironic. Beneath the jokes and ridicule are harsh truths about our country. And once these truths are recognized, a question is posed to the audience: whether you are offended by the jabs or amused by them, how can you, as an American, be shocked at the skits on your TV and yet sit idly and pretend everything is normal as they play out in real life?
From The Onion to Saturday Night Live, lately it feels like satire is the only way to spread this kind of information and truly reality-check viewers. Extremes might be the only thing that cuts through the noise of everyday news.
While this strategy is effective in garnering attention for issues, it is important to remember that there is no shortage of misunderstanding that can come from it. After becoming aware of the problems these shows, publications and social media accounts address, it becomes the viewer’s job to truly educate themselves. At the end of the day, people should be invested enough in their own well-being and the well-being of their country to learn about it by their own effort and choice. Whether it is diving into academic studies about the social and political health of America or simply following your favorite journalist on Instagram and keeping up with their news articles, staying informed on the issues that matter is the most powerful thing a person can do in times like these.
