Question

5. ‘“It is painfully clear this slaughter was perpetrated by a force that holds zero regard for the value of life.”’ (Paragraph 4) Explain the irony in this statement and how it contributes to the article’s use of satire.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation

This statement comes from the satiric article titled “Natural Selection Kills 38 Quadrillion Organisms In Bloodiest Day Yet”.

The article is a satire on how violent and ruthless natural selection can be. Natural Selection is an essential part of life. It is pivotal for evolution and it is the force that separates successful adaptations from those which are not. Natural selection, in the form of the struggle between prey and predator, is also essential to ensure there is a biomass equilibrium. This equilibrium is essential for a healthy ecosystem, and therefore to the perpetuation of life over our planet.

The irony in the statement “It is painfully clear this slaughter was perpetrated by a force that holds zero regard for the value of life” comes from a deep understanding of natural selection as an essential force of nature, as an indispensable part of life. Natural selection implies death, and therefore death is a fundamental part of life. Therefore, stating that “this force holds zero regard for the value of life” becomes an ironic comment on the paradoxical and yet indispensable relationship between death and life.