Right from Wrong: Satire on TV and in Real Life

     Satire in any form has been around for centuries, but recently the use and also abuse of satire has gained new highs. Popular shows such as The Simpsons, Family Guy and South Park as well as none cartoon shows such as Saturday Night Live demonstrate inappropriate satire on a daily basis through their TV shows. When watching these shows with friends and family we hear these quotes of satire and laugh at the comedic aspect of it; why? Because it is funny and it is a show on television. But when people cross the boundary between TV satire humor and bring it into real world situation a border has been crossed. The younger generation of viewers of these such shows do not know that certain jokes and phrases are unacceptable in public. Now, while these shows do have a mature audience, I remember secretly watching Family Guy when I was definitely below the age of fully understanding all of the jokes being made, and which ones were right and wrong. Being older now I understand why my mother wouldn't have had me watching those shows, because to to be honest they do cross that border of proper and improper satire often. So the question I pose is what is acceptable and unacceptable in the world of satire? Do we want our younger generation of viewers being exposed to this? As time goes on, these shows creep slower and slower to the border of being inappropriate for family viewing and more towards pure mature audiences and even I sometimes cringe at the jokes jabbed at other races on South Park, but eh it's just a TV show cartoon.... right?