Satire is a genre that uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to critique people, society, or institutions, with the aim of prompting reflection or change. It often targets behaviors, power structures, or norms, rather than individuals alone, and can appear in literature, visual art, theater, film, journalism, and online media. Key aspects to understand

• Purpose: To entertain while revealing folly, vices, or injustices and to encourage scrutiny or reform. It frequently aims to shame or poke fun at those in power or at social practices.
• Methods: Irony, parody, exaggeration, incongruity, and wit. Satire may rely on fictional scenarios, fictional characters, or real-world events presented in a critical light.
• Varieties: Political satire (targets governments or politicians), social satire (targets culture, norms, or everyday life), and absurd or surreal satire (uses illogical or fantastical elements to expose absurdities).
• Boundaries: The line between critique and offense can be blurry. Different countries have different legal and cultural norms about what satire can or should do, especially regarding protected groups or sensitive topics.

Illustrative points

• Satire leverages recognizable targets, but often hides or distorts details to highlight hypocrisy or systemic issues.
• Classical examples include literary works, stand-up routines, cartoons, and films that reframe familiar issues to reveal underlying problems.

If you’d like, I can tailor a concise definition in Danish or provide examples from Danish or international satire, along with notes on its historical development.