The limits of satire

Cartoons are the barometer of freedom. You can measure the level of freedom in a society by what it allows to be ridiculed. But every society has taboos, subjects that, when mocked, will always be controversial. In their joint talk at ThinkFest! (part of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa), South African cartoonist Jeremy Nell (Jerm) and Dutch cartoonist Tjeerd Royaards explore the limits of social satire in their respective countries.

Cartoons can be a powerful weapon, which means cartoonists have a responsibility to consider the potential impact of their work. But provocation and insult are -and should continue to be- an essential part of the toolbox of a cartoonist.

Jeremy and Tjeerd show examples of their own cartoons that deliberately use the power to insult to make a point, and explain why these cartoons matter, even if they get you fired (in the case of Jeremy) or anger half the country (in the case of Tjeerd).