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In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain shows a high degree of cynicism when thinking about the American collective. He raises awareness of the foolishness and susceptibility of crowds to conform, and to be mindlessly led (or misled) by any voice that will lead. These flaws are satirically and comically highlighted through the many shenanigans that the Duke and the Dauphin pull off. It is incredible — and rather disappointing — to see how much the conmen can get away with. The conmen lie about their identities, put on shows performing mindless entertainment and sensationalize the act of mourning over a dead man whom they claim to be brothers of. It is the foolish group mentality that the men repeatedly take advantage of for their selfish desires. While Huckleberry Finn was written in 1884, unfortunately, the frustrating foolishness of the “collective” in western society is still relevant today — if not more so. With the rise of the technology, commercialization and mass media and communication, humans are becoming more and more dependent on media, and getting more used to being told what to do. Thus, in a sense, the representatives of mass media can be seen as “the duke and dauphin” of modern society.

The well known American adult animated tv series — “South Park” (developed for the Comedy Central television network) seems to explore these very themes, albeit in a more exaggerated, vulgar and often inappropriate way than Huckleberry Finn. Nonetheless, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone consistently pick on the same human flaws prevalent in American society — the conformity, the shallowness and the gullibility of groups of people. In the tv show, there is a prominent division between the kids and the adults. The children of South Park are those who have not yet been socialized into the typical “American”. They approach life with reason, common sense and a “sort” of innocence. On the contrary, the adults are the socialized beings, living their lives based on not what “makes sense”, but on whatever ideas society imposes on them. Thus, the adults are a satirical representation of the general population. These adults are much like the townspeople that were repeatedly fooled and conned by the Duke and the Dauphin. For instance in episode three of the sixth season, the plot line revolves around “The Maury Povich Show” (reference to a real talk show) which includes a segment where individuals with abnormalities and birth defects talk about their struggles in life, and a segment where a parent comes on the show with their “out of control teenager” to talk about how difficult it is raises such a misbehaved child (some people might recall something similar — a very recent meme “cash me outside” emerging from an episode of Dr. Phil with an ‘out of control teenager’ and her mom). In this episode, the shallowness of such tv shows is highlighted. The show host (like the Duke and Dauphin) uses the audience’s receptiveness to mindless entertainment to earn fame and money. The very existence of such talk shows — which “South Park” critiques — reveals the increased prevalence of the human flaws that Twain had highlighted. While this is just one example of the satirical work that South Park does, the series comments on the flaws of the collective on various other occasions. I would say South Park is just as cynical about human beings as Twain was. Seeing how Twain’s cynicism of human behaviour has carried on through time, one cannot help but feel just as cynical.