One. Study Questions
1. What are the distinguishing characteristics of a closed society?
2. Explain the connection between South Park and Karl Popper. See paragraph 10.
3. South Park creators Parker and Stone see the same foolishness and hypocrisy in the extreme Right and Left. Explain. See page 299.
4. The authors praise South Park for showing the dangers of groupthink. What is groupthink and why is it so dangerous? Groupthink: Sacrificing your individual critical thinking in order to conform to the group. Groupthink tends toward mediocrity, incompetence, and corruption. Take for example an ugly car like the 2009 Acura TL. Individuals on the design committee may have hated the design but were afraid to offend their boss and/or the rest of the committee. Or individuals were afraid to speak out for fear of offending other committee members.
Two. Writing Options
Option One:
In one page, summarize the essay. Then in another page, define the term groupthink and give an example of groupthink from your personal experience. For your final three pages, analyze the way groupthink compromised the quality of a project in the news or from your personal experience.
Option Two.
In a page, summarize the essay. Then in two pages choose a target of South Park’s satire and analyze why the show was justified in skewering this target. Finally, in a page use research to show how various targets attempted to censor the TV show.
Option Three:
In 2 pages, shows how a mediocre teen film generates the cliches discussed in Denby's "High-School Confidential." Then in 3 pages analyze the more fully realized teen characters in American Beauty or Election.
Quiz:
In a brief paragraph, contrast a closed and open society. Then in a longer paragraph, about 200 words, explain how the TV show South Park contributes to an open society.
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