Proposing a Modest Proposal

The satire involved with such arguments as "A Modest Proposal" is pretty tricky if one does not have their wits about them. Personally, that is what I find so entertaining about satire: it weeds out the "suckers" and rewards the sceptic.  Readers could potentially fall into three categories.

If one were to read "A Modest Proposal" and actually think that Swift were literally suggesting that the people of a nation eat their infants then that means you are got hosed by the author. I don't even think his intention was to see how many people he could trick. Therefore, to take such a proposal literally means that you haven't even stepped into the arena of the purpose of the article. You are disqualified. Continue getting your laughs from "Marmaduke" and "MadTV".

Second, some may read it and think "Well, yeah, obviously he's not serious but I don't see how writing such absurd advice could possibly help his plight, whatever that may be. I don't get it." And such a response is acceptable and common. I found it difficult to decide whose side he was on. Obviously he opposed the English for their treatment of the Irish but he doesn't paint a flattering picture of the Irish community whatsoever. If someone can at least recognize that the proposal isn't literal then they are on the right track. 

Third, those who "get it" (which I am not counting myself in that camp fully because I still debate it) are able to realize "Ok, the proposal is bogus and Swift doesn't want anybody to heed his advice as found in the letter. Let's step back. Why would somebody write this ridiculous piece of work in hopes to, not necessarily remedy, but critique the situation. Ignore the actual argument. What argument is Swift making by making this argument?" Satire is three-dimensional and can only be fully appreciated when both thought about from a distance and also placed into societal context. This is not an easy task to comprehend though. How many Midwestern Republicans were huge fans of The Colbert Report and its caricature of the right until somebody told them "He's making fun of you." We are so used to not fully thinking about these things that many of us miss the point of a good satire. Not only is it something to struggle with, at least more so than upfront literal fiction, but we also get the pleasure of those that got duped by it.

Personally, I think that one of Swift's strongest arguments from this argument is that the Irish are in a bad state and none of the political and community leaders are doing anything to help the situations. Any of those that do are either incompetent or unable to enact their plan. So, by posing as one of the "problem-solvers" that Ireland has heard from so many times, he is commenting on how stupid and ineffective these solutions are. I think his biggest targets are the leaders of the Irish community because compared to their inaction or inability to fix a problem, eating babies may not be the best solution but at least it is a solution.