The Onion Satire

The ever-present issue of American debt, one that has consistently continued to trend increasingly upward, is perpetuated by the corporate businessman's predation of the common man's naivety. In the article, the satirical publication The Onion speaks to the average consumer in a humorous tone, but also in a tone that addresses the deeper issues of society. Since the beginning of man's specialized careers and market systems, he has cheated, stolen, and deceived without fail. Those who do not approach business cautiously, no matter how pure their heart, are often the victims of these crimes. Modern-day marketing and consumerism is satirized by The Onion through the use of appeals to false science, humor, and irony.
The author uses appeals to false science throughout the article to shed light on the blatant and outrageous falsity of some of today's "scientific sources". The author quotes Dr. Arthur Bluni, "the pseudoscientist who developed the product for Massillon-based Integrated Products." Many references to Bluni and other "pseudoscientists" passive-aggressively attacks the

credibility of these scientists, while still maintaining the façade of true citation to the scientists. The author again appeals to false science when he or she says, "According to scientific-sounding literature trumpeting the new insoles, the Contour PointsTM also take advantage of the semi-plausible medical technique known as reflexology." With these appeals to false science, the author illustrates and relates to readers how foolish it is to blindly trust in unknown, non-reputable, or non-credible sources. His or her use of false science complement and help build his or her use of humor.
The use of humor in this article not only keeps the attention of the audience, but also acts as comedic relief. The author slyly inserts humor into the article with phrases such as, "But while other insoles have used magnets and reflexology as keys to their appearance of usefulness, MagnaSoles go several steps further." In this topic sentence, the author not only discredits the product and those similar to it, but he or she also insinuates the extravagance and ridiculousness of the product's marketing strategies. The author again utilizes humor to ridicule those who have purchased the product, "… who are hailing them as a welcome alternative to expensive, effective forms of traditional medicine." In an article which so pointedly accuses the general population of brainless spending, the occasional inclusion of humor diffuses the tension and discomfort of readers, which increases the chance that they will accept, or at least be open to, the author's argument. In addition to humor, the author also employs the rhetorical device of irony.
Throughout the article, the use of irony brings an air of superiority and authority to the author, and illustrates how outlandish some of the points satirized actually are.

The author quotes a woman who sprained her ankle, saying, "'But after wearing MagnaSoles for seven weeks, I've noticed a significant decrease in pain and can now walk comfortably. Just try to prove that MagnaSoles didn’t heal me!'" This claim attacks the credibility of the product itself, the scientists backing it, and the customers who buy it, because a recovery time of a sprained ankle is one standardly expected with regular medical treatment. The quotation, "'Why should I pay thousands of dollars to have my spine realigned with physical therapy when I can pay $20 for insoles clearly endorsed by an intelligent-looking man in a white lab coat?'" highlights the false trust put in anyone who claims scientific

authority.
Appeals to false science, humor, and irony all assist in satirizing today's society's marketing and consumerism. Although written in a satirical tone, within the article the author addresses major underlying issues of the American economy. When market trends are based off of band-wagon spikes, the profit of cheap, low-quality goods increases, and those of well-made products decreases. Consumers must research products to allow themselves the capability to make wise choices between products. When consumers gain knowledge about the products they're buying and maintain good judgement, the state of credit and economy will improve not just individually, but nationally as well.