They defend or decry with humor

Text: Anna Aznaour (survey published in April 2015 in the Swiss review IZA www.iza.ch which ceased to exist at the end of 2018)

Summary

• Making fun doesn’t kill anyone… Does it?
• Why are editorial cartoonists frightening ?
• Can everything be made funny ?
• Rights and duties of editorial cartoonists
• Swiss literary satire: titles and challenges
• Young readers and the press: our improvised survey
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Useful links

 Depicting injustice and absurdity though the prism of sarcasm – it’s their job. Editorial cartoonists are chroniclers of the news and set the record straight, day after day. But in today’s world, can they still cry "The king is naked" without risk to themselves?

"This is the story of a King who neglected his affairs and instead filled his closets constantly with clothes, and then made a display of wearing them in front of his starving people. One day, two swindlers presented themselves before the King proclaiming themselves to be salesmen of a priceless fabric of magical properties. Any clothing made from this fabric would be invisible to fools or those unfit for society. After placing an order for these clothes, the King sent three dignitaries known for their intelligence and integrity to retrieve the clothes.

"The envoys were embarrassed when they couldn’t see the clothing the swindlers pretended to show them. They doubted their own abilities and didn’t dare to mention this. The same thing happened to the King, who, on parade day, appeared before his people in his ‘new clothes’. Informed as to the magical properties of the clothing, everyone pretended to see it and complimented the King. Only one child in the crowd of flatterers cried out: ‘The King is naked!’" *

For editorial cartoonists, it’s an everyday affair to denounce what people see but don’t know how to react to, or aren’t able to react to, or don’t want to. As the voice of the innocent, the weak and the oppressed, editorial cartoonists are the ones who attack and defend with humor. Their power to say "The King is naked” guarantees social justice, without which no peace and no security would be possible anywhere in the world.

Making fun doesn’t kill anyone… Does it?

It was on January 7, 2015? birthday of Jesus Christ (in the Julie calendar) that five cartoonists from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo were assassinated in their editorial office for having caricaturized the prophet Mohammed. Paris, as site of the tragedy, could not be more symbolic, as it is the world’s birthplace of satire. Satire was born during the French Revolution. There was an immediate reaction – but, oh how different! – across the entire world. While certain Muslims saluted this barbarous act, calling it justified revenge, others revolted. Governments sent their presidents to the City of Lights to participate in the solidarity march. Among these ‘marchers’ were several public figures who’d been targeted by the slain cartoonists for their abuses or their repressive regimes, especially concerning freedom of their press. After the emotional upheaval passed, the slogan ‘I am Charlie’ became widely marketed and some thought was given to the future of editorial cartoonists.

"There will be, undoubtedly, a ‘before’ and ‘after’ January 7th among editorial cartoonists," deduces Christian Campiche, journalist and vice-president of Impressum.** "Let us hope that the aftermath will not be too dramatic for freedom of expression. The present tendency is to post policemen in front of editorial offices, but I don’t think this will be THE solution. During this bloody period, there must be reflection in the media so that we know how to maintain editorial quality in the sense of information that is responsible but not subservient to the powers that be."

Why are editorial cartoonists frightening ?

A drawing, contrary to a text, is understood immediately by everyone, and requires neither linguistic ability nor time to read it. That’s where its power comes from, and why it is dreaded by elites worried about appearances and about preserving their authority over the masses. "I’m jealous of cartoonists, because, often, I see in a cartoon all that I would have said or that I didn’t manage to say in all my life," admits journalist Boris Engelson, known even so for his sharp style. "Laughter is a formidable weapon. One mockery is worse than ten criticisms, which explains the considerable reactions that it provokes," notes the editorial cartoonist Bénédicte.

Keen observers, these cartoonists master not only graphic arts, but also handle stereotypes and prejudices. To get a message across, they use Gestalt principles – the psychology of form – which ordain that the perception of every human being obeys the same rules, namely : 

-         the world, our perception and our neurophysiologic processes are structured in the same way ;

-         we perceive first of all the whole before noticing the details it is made of ;

-         It is above all the central figure in a field which attracts our attention, and not the field, etc.

All this is to say that our understanding of a graphic image has a universal character and is independent of our age, sex, culture or origin. This is why the use of the six Gestalt principles – of form, of continuity, of proximity, of similitude, of common destiny and of familiarity – in a cartoon hits home everywhere, because it’s accessible to everyone (Smith, 1996).

Can everything be made funny ?

In theory, yes. In practice, it’s more delicate. Generally, editors allow cartoonists freedom in their choice of news story to illustrate. That said, despite their fidelity to the precept of freedom of expression, almost all have their limits, their reticence or their rules to avoid entanglement. Such levers of self-censorship relate work to notions of the moment, subject, tone and message to be transmitted. Here are the explanations of those concerned :

 Barrigue (whose real name is Thierry Barrigue), illustrator, journalist and editor in chief of Vigousse : "The subject that is hardest to show is death : accident, air catastrophe, etc. I’ve drawn illustrations for 40 years on a day-to-day basis, and as soon as deadly dramas occurred, I illustrated them because it was news. An even if it wasn’t a humorous illustration, people insulted me by saying : ‘I hope that the same thing happens to you one day, and to your whole family, etc.’ People are very fearful concerning death, which remains a great mystery and which frightens them. Children are also a sensitive subject since they represent innocence. For example, if one must attack pedophile priests, a visual image of a mistreated child is not very well accepted. Anything touching upon violence against children tends to be taboo in our society, which is even so violent. We are told : ‘You don’t have the right to draw that.’ But in fact, yes, because it’s necessary to make an image to denounce that reality. Finding equilibrium with the audience on such subjects is not easy."

Bénédicte (whose real name is Bénédicte Sambo), illustrator for 24 Heures, Vigousse, Le Courrier, etc. : "I avoid speaking too soon, or drawing a cartoon too quickly about a catastrophe of the ‘plane crash’ genre. However, I will try to address tragic events such as murders or massacres, because I want to denounce them. But there, one must find a correct idea."

Hermann (whose real name is Gérald Herrmann), illustrator at the Tribune de Genève : "The art of editorial illustration is in being crafty, that is to say transmit a message, which can be unpleasant, in a way that the person being made fun of can accept it. And from the moment when he doesn’t send us a bomb right in the face, it can be said that we pushed the limit and created a space of freedom. For me, the limit, it’s not to do the second degree when everyone is in the first degree. When people are nothing but sad, they are not ready to support that. It’s the sacredness of the moment. It should be said that during these last 40 years, the idea even of sacred has evolved a lot. Before, in the West, it was God and power. Now, what’s sacred is whoever is weak."

Mix & Remix (whose real name is Philippe Becquelin), illustrator for Le Matin Dimanche, l’Hebdo, Courrier international, etc. :"I self-censor and I adore that. For example, I avoid using trash words (dumbass, etc.) and vulgarity, because I don’t see what that could bring. And also gags where there’s no message, only an insult. In any case, the bigger our audience is, the more we risk shocking people. That’s why I pay close attention to not attack frontally and to force myself to remain subtle and moderate. Today, with Internet and social networking, the racist and typically French humor of the 1970s is no longer possible."

Pierre-André Marchand, journalist and editor in chief of the magazine La Tuile :"I always hear that cartoonists are agitators. No – the agitators are those who put on togas and tiaras and take to the streets to flagellate themselves and engage in exhibitionism. It’s also those who crash against a wall as if they were demented or then again it’s those who wrap up their women in beekeeper’s costumes. Is it a crime to laugh at all that or a reason to do in those who are like that ? For my part, I never make fun of handicaps or infirmity."

Ben (whose real name is Ben Marchesini), illustrator for Matin :"Would I continue to illustrate if tomorrow the streets were full of Kalashnikovs? I don’t know. It’s the necessity which creates the reaction. One knows if one will continue only at that moment of being confronted with a real danger."

Rights and duties of editorial cartoonists

The editorial cartoonist, like any citizen, does not escape a certain responsibility. But is there an official scale which draws the line that can’t be crossed ? Guy Mettan, director of the Swiss Press Club (CSP), testifies : "The problematic side of liberty of expression appeared to us about fifteen years ago, at the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At that time, we put together with Unesco a study group on human rights and duties. Noteworthy personalities from the world of science and media considered the problem, and even so, it did not lead to the formation of a charter of rights and duties. The reason is that when we define a duty, we define an obligation. And duty implies a restriction of freedom, which leads to censorship. Thus there is a kind of impossibility of a philosophical nature in bringing the two together. In my opinion, freedom of expression must be preserved, but it isn’t central, that is to say it must make an effort not to offend people without reason. This applies to every human being. One can be satirical with everyone, but one cannot always satirize the same people. That would amount to being relentless," concludes this former editor in chief of the daily Tribune de Genève.

In spite of the vagueness that surrounds the idea of freedom of expression, every editorial cartoonist, like any journalist, is bound to sign the Declaration of the duties and rights of journalists which defines their working conditions within an editorial office. This is also true for their admission as members of Impressum. Dominique Diserens, Secretary-central of this professional association of journalists, sums it up : "The duties in question concern the respect of one’s sources and of editorial secrecy, but also of human dignity, research and the verification of information, integrity and incorruptibility. As to rights, they are mainly grouped around the ideas of freedom of expression and of investigation, and of the possibility of benefitting from a collective convention of labor. The complaints filed against satirical magazines are based mainly on Article 173 of the Penal Code relative to defamation as well as Article 28 of the Civil Code which protects the right of the personality, but there, the doctrine allows a greater tolerance when it’s a matter of caricatures. Jurisprudence recognizes a public interest in humor, worthy of protection," emphasizes this Doctor of Law. 

Jean-Luc Wenger, investigative journalist at Vigousse, testifies that "in five years, Vigousse had about ten lawsuit based on texts, that were filed for reasons of defamation, and one filing of a lawsuit for a drawing showing Oskar Freysinger, elected representative of the UDC [Swiss People’s Party], with his arm raised closely resembling a Nazi salute. But during the reconciliation process, the prosecutor found a dozen other drawings on the Internet much more violent than this one and that’s why the proceedings were terminated. In Switzerland, legally, there’s not much to be afraid of with a drawing as opposed to a text."

Swiss literary satire: titles and challenges

After the closing of the British satirical review Punch in 2002, the Swiss German publication Nebelspalter, founded in Zurich in 1875, became the world’s oldest satirical magazine. Its editor-in-chief Marco Ratschiller reports that "Our monthly like many others is undergoing a lean period due to the reduction in readership and in its advertising revenue. The major challenge is therefore to continue to exist. This situation was created by Internet and the free culture which dealt a heavy blow to the paper press. Our issue is still going thanks to the financing by our publisher, for whom Nebelspalter is of undeniable value to the country’s culture, to be preserved at all costs."

The particularities of Swiss Romand satire are much different than those from across the Sarine, in the measure that all its reviews were independently published. Only the Jura monthly La Tuile, founded in 1971 and published in 2,500 copies, has held against the winds and tides during 44 years. Its creator and editor-in-chief Pierre-André confides: "Everything started during the brawl with the Jura, when people were complaining and whining about being under the boot of Bern. I decided to attack the problem with satire, and so I founded La Tuile. I was all alone at the beginning. With us, the illustrators are not attacked -- it’s me that receives the insults and threats. Several times I was nearly struck in the face, my tires were punctured, not counting the many anonymous and threatening telephone calls. Now the corrupt politicians that we attack have decided they want the hide of La Tuile and are filing lawsuits. At the moment I am facing six or seven lawsuits. I have lost time and money on cowardly lawyers, so I am defending myself. But we have the support of our readers and the encouragement of our colleagues, including Le Canard encha?né! Our main challenge is not facing the lawsuits, but rather to have the will to continue and ensure the quality of our texts and drawings," says the journalist, musician and author.

More recent but highly appreciated with a circulation of 12,000 copies, Vigousse is the only French-language weekly satirical review distributed in Romand Switzerland. Founded in 2009 by Thierry Barrigue, journalist and illustrator, it has many emulators. "After having pursued our journalistic enquiry, the rules of the profession dictate that, evidently, one should attack those who we consider corrupt. It’s often embezzlers. And in the measure that we publish their name and explain what exactly they did, we start receiving lawsuits for defamation. It’s best to have a good attorney to defend you from swindlers who never give up. As for challenges, I’d say the main one is to maintain a tone mostly based on humor, but still remaining righteous, barbed and a little exaggerated. And to propose an alternative reading of the news without delving too much into preconceived ideas, and not to try to convert oneself. We want to bring out a grain of salt and a bit of raciness every week."

Only independent reviews, free of outside influence, can permit themselves to publish a content that is critical, no-holds-barred, which attacks the abuses of power and influence of the powerful. Their objective is to protect, through mockery, the rights and interests of ordinary citizens. Their fear: the indifference of the new generation, addicted to the Internet.

Young readers and the press: our improvised survey

We approached a group of six young people on the train from Geneva to Lausanne. Benjamin, Quentin, Antoine, Valentin, Isaac and Guillaume agreed to enlighten us about their vision and their opinions on the written press. Do they know the satirical press in Switzerland? What are they reading ? Do they subscribe to a review ? Would they willingly pay for the information ? These were the kinds of questions we put to these Genevan students, 18 and 19 years of age. One of the six, Quentin, said he was familiar with one Swiss satirical review (but couldn’t remember the name) and reads it from time to time and enjoys it (in fact it’s Vigousse). All six said they don’t subscribe to any review and admitted they don’t read any paper newspapers, except, perhaps, 20 Minutes (a free daily). Why? Because it doesn’t interest them and because the information is online and available at no cost. One only, Quentin, would subscribe to a daily review, but only if it was of good quality, with real in-depth articles and investigations. He would also be interested in subscribing to specialized magazines in his areas of interest (biology and life sciences). What interested them all was new technologies and computer science, because they feel it’s the future. "The [technical] applications quickly grow old and new ones must be constantly created. Computer science is the future," summarizes Guillaume, the group’s spokesman, who wants to be either a programmer or a journalist. To ensure that young people read newspapers, their areas of interest must be targeted and specialized articles proposed, according to Guillaume. Although our survey sample is not representative, the responses gathered are a true enough reflection of the attitude of young people vis-à-vis the paper press. 

The availability of information provided by the Internet has removed any awareness of its value among the young, high-tech generation. A raid and unlimited access to knowledge, real or proximate, presented in bulk in La Toile, has contributed to the creation of an illusion of ease of learning. But everything has its price, which must be paid by someone. If users don’t do it, it’s up to the creators of editorial content to cover it. This has led to massive layoffs of journalists, whose work is replaced by the proliferation of blogs, edited freely by enthusiasts of all kinds. If some among them have a quality output, none are subject to the rules of journalistic ethics and deontology which demand verification, neutrality and viability of the information that’s communicated. An alarming reality for readers, but an easy solution for certain publishers, and a golden opportunity for their non-journalistic bloggers to access a podium or advertise their activities, ideas or friendships.

A study conducted among journalists by the University of Fribourg demonstrates, for the first time, the scientific link established between the economic crisis and its harmful influence on freedom of expression of the press (Puppis et coll., 2014). In the end it’s the quality of knowledge – and by corollary the exercise of free will by populations – which suffers. "In all societies and at all moments of history, there has been a minority of people, between 10% and 15% of the population statistically, which wanted to know what was happening, and that asked questions. The others were content to live from day to day, earn money and feed their families. It is the minority that must be supported in order to do things right and advance," says Guy Mettan.

Conclusion

In a political system, when the law has no force, then might makes right. But in order for non-right to prosper, one must first deprive the organism (the society) of its antibodies (those who dare say "The King is naked"). Strategies differ depending on the regime : in totalitarian regimes, it is access to information and to communication that is blocked. In others, called ‘democratic’, it is the diversion of attention that prevails, through the conditioning of the masses with false information and providing easy access to pornography. Finally, only the critical spirit of a people which enables to overcome the many abuses of power. As Thierry Barrigue said: "A critical spirit must be taught at school so that the young will be capable later on of defending themselves." Those who will learn it will use humor and dialogue. The others will use violence. 

* Story by Hans Christian Andersen, "The Emperor’s New Clothes".

** Impressum – professional association of journalists of Switzerland and the principality of Liechtenstein. 

Bibliography

Caricaturists: fantassins de la démocratie. Actes sud, 2014.

Puppis M., Sch?nhagen P., Fürst S., Hofstetter B. & Mike Meissner (2014). Arbeitsbedingungen und Berichterstattungs-freiheit in journalistischen Organisationen. Universit?t Freiburg. https://www.bakom.admin.ch/themen/radio_tv/01153/01156/04801/index.html?lang=fr

Smith K. (1996). Laughing at the way we see: The role of visual organizing principles in cartoon humor. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 9(1), pp.19-38.

Useful links

Bénédicte www.benedicte-illustration.net

Swiss Press Club [Club Suisse de la Presse] https://2013.pressclub.ch

Impressum www.impressum.ch

Mix & Remix www.1erdegre.ch/blog

Revue Nebelspalter www.nebelspalter.ch

Revue Vigousse www.vigousse.ch