Let Go Let Gov Satire

Governments do share a common trait with God. The idea of a government is something that has been around since the dawn of man and has been discussed and debated about for about just the same number of years. One form of discussion is through satire like South Park. "Let Go Let Gov" is an example of an episode of the show that makes a point about people's thoughts about the government and certain actions of the government. The creators take a stance against those who are too doubtful of the government and those too trustful of the government as well as taking a quick jab at organized religions, specifically Catholicism. “Let Go Let Gov” of South Park begins with Eric Cartman being offended that his privacy is compromised when Kyle expresses annoyance at him for speaking obnoxiously loudly into his phone with the speaker phone on. Cartman then becomes paranoid that the government is spying on his every move. He first plans a secret rally. He then posted a video on his blog saying, “There’s gonna be a big rally to tell the government: stop gathering information on us. Gonna tweet you all the details, but keep quiet cuz it’s top secret” (Parker and Stone). In addition Cartman starts using a machine wired to his brain that speaks his thoughts out loud and posts his thoughts on the internet. Then he goes on to infiltrate the NSA in order to reveal the NSA’s secrets to avenge the violation of his privacy. Through Cartman and the devices of irony and hyperbole, the producers are criticizing those who are overly sensitive about their privacy and overly cynical of the government. Situational irony is employed when Cartman complains about privacy while talking loudly into the phone with speaker phone on and posts a public tweet about something that is “top secret”. Viewers would expect someone who is trying to maintain privacy to be whispering into the phone with earbuds in. The irony ridicules people who outwardly care about privacy but seems to be trying to share their information to the entire world. Cartman also exaggerates how much information the government gathers about him as shown when NSA’s central computer “designated his status as ‘fat and unimportant’”. The humor of incongruity is added when Cartman expresses sentiments of actually wanting to be monitored constantly by the government instead of keeping his privacy on the internet. The message was effectively conveyed because the inconsistency of Cartman’s words and over-exaggerated actions show how ridiculous it could be to complain about privacy when people post private information on the internet for all to see and the government in truth will not track most people unless they seem like a threat to the nation. The episode also includes a scene where an NSA agent justifies the reason why the government must keep at least minimal tabs on people. Meanwhile, Butters hears from Cartman that the government is always watching everyone and misunderstands the statement; Butters begins to …show more content…
He starts praying to the government. He prays, "Thanks for watching over me and doing everything you (government) do. And please watch over mommy and daddy and my friends . . . and if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd really would like to get a puppy for Christmas" (Parker and Stone). Other characters come into play when he starts converting people to his faith in the government (starting with two followers of the Jehovah’s witnesses) and going to the DMV to confess his sins where the producers include some slapstick comedy. Allegedly, “once I (Butters) came clean with the government, I no longer had anything to hide. Then I found peace” (Parker and Stone). The way that Butters is treating the government as an entity to worship seems to criticize those who trust the government too much, unlike cynics like Cartman, by exaggerating the faith in the government to seem almost fanatical. The effect is amplified by examples of government services like the DMV and the NSA which are contradictory to what Butters believes about the government: forgiving and knowingly granting people’s wishes like Santa. The DMV is represented as a place where one will be rudely yelled at and silenced if they try to pass the time with entertainment. The NSA does in fact gather information on the citizens