Question

How is satire an effective form of criticism?

Answer 1

satire: the combination of humor and criticism to point out human follies
  It's so effective because it takes whatever it is criticizing to a point that you have to laugh and proves the truth of the criticism. Effective satire has to be based on "truth" - the characteristics satirized have to be there, exaggerated but there. 

Example: "You might be from Wisconsin if you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 38 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by."