How important is humor?

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on May 22nd, 2008

There was a brief item on Fox News’ Special Report, hosted by Brit Hume, that told of order returning to Baghdad. Video footage depicted what was identified as yet another sign of that return to order: A comedy show. In the video, a large crowd guffaws as a rather physical and manic Iraqi comedian whirls about in a large function room, while fatigue-clad members of the Iraq Army, armed with submachine guns, look on.

Another item, in the Economist, is subtitled “A boom in satire marks a decade of sturdy democracy.” It tells of mini satire boom on Indonesian television, much of which pokes fun at elected officials– something that would have been unthinkable under former ruler Suharto. It’s not all fun and games, however. There’s still some speed bumps for those who wish to speak truth to Indonesian power.

Some politicians moaned that the show flouted Indonesian cultural traditions of respect for authority. However, says Mr Gazali, a poll in 2006 found that only about one-fifth of the public—mostly the elderly—bought this self-serving argument. The programme’s success has spawned imitators on other channels.

In two rulings, in December 2006 and July 2007, the Constitutional Court struck out clauses in the criminal code that had made it a crime to insult senior figures. Undeterred, officials have dredged up other obscure clauses to have several journalists jailed over critical articles about them. But the chances are that the court will strike these down too, when it hears the journalists’ petitions, and that those in power will have to get used to criticism.

The piece concludes with this: “Much still needs fixing in Indonesian democracy. But at least it seems pretty secure. And in the meantime, the satirists are not short of material.”

You can get a good idea of how healthy a democracy is by how well its big shots tolerate ribbing. And it always amazes us just how quickly folks crank up the humor when serious and deadly matters start looking as thought they’re squared away.

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