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Social commentary

Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace about a given problem and appealing to people's sense of justice. Social commentary can be practiced through all forms of communication, from printed form, to conversations to computerized communication.

Two examples of strong and bitter social commentary are the writings of Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift and German priest Martin Luther. Swift decried the appalling conditions faced by Irish Catholics under the rule of the Protestant Ascendancy in A Modest Proposal, while Martin Luther decried corruption in the Catholic Church in his Ninety-five Theses.[1] Examples of social commentators from the lower social strata are Charles Dickens and Will Rogers.

Jay Leno

David Letterman

Oprah Winfrey

Steve Harvey

There are a number of discussion shows that do not have a call in segments, but which sometimes have discussions (beyond mere interviews) with personages of current interest. In the United States of America, some such shows include:

Satire

Wilson, Derek (2007). Out of the Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther. London: Hutchinson.  978-0-09-180001-7.

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