101 Great Satire Quotes From Movies, Literature And Life

Divya Raghav
Dec 12, 2023 By Divya Raghav
Originally Published on Feb 26, 2021
Edited by Isobel Murphy
Library with multiple shelves and books.

Satire uses wit, humor, irony, or sarcasm to present an organization, society, or human follies and vices through significant literary works.

One will find multiple satires on the works of any prominent organization or individual. Satire has always been a principal part of literature since its inception.

Whilst it may be a great idea to read widely to find good satires, this article can actually speed up the process! Whether you are a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full sort of person, the best satire quote to make you laugh might just be hidden in this extensive list of good satire quotes.

If you enjoy these thoughtful and satirical quotes from several literary works, movies, and life, you can find more quote ideas if you take a look at these satirist quotes and ironic quotes.
 

Satire Quotes From Literature

Here are some of the best and most popular satirical quotes derived from literature. Book lover, or otherwise, you might find one of your favorite quotes here!

1. "My pen shall heal, not hurt."

-L.M. Montgomery, 'Emily Climbs'.

2. "Love turns... to indifference or disgust: hatred alone is immortal."

- William Hazlitt, 'On The Pleasure Of Hating'.

3. "The act of repeating erroneously the words of another."

-Ambrose Bierce, 'The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary'.

4. "A father has to be a provider, a teacher... Otherwise, how will children ever understand the concept of God?"

-Stephen Colbert, 'I Am America'.

5. "Nothing spoils romance so much as a sense of humor in the woman."

-Oscar Wilde, 'A Woman Of No Importance'.

6. "A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it."

-Rabindranath Tagore.

7. "Fools are my theme, let satire be my song."

-Lord Byron.

8. "Tomorrow is a satire on today and shows its weakness."

-Edward Young.

9. "There is more than one kind of freedom... Freedom to and freedom from."

- Margaret Attwood, 'The Handmaid's Tale'.

'Huckleberry Finn' Satire Quotes

Find the best satire quote examples from the book 'Huckleberry Finn' by Mark Twain right here.

10. "Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed... She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for, I would get it."

-Huck, 'Huckleberry Finn'.

11. "... so I made Jim lay down in the canoe... because if he set up, people could tell.

-Huck, 'Huckleberry Finn'.

12. "Afterwards, Jim said the witches bewitched him and put him in a trance... show who done it."

-Jim, 'Huckleberry Finn'.

13. "Some young birds come along... Jim said it was a sign that it was going to rain."

-Jim, 'Huckleberry Finn'.

Satire Quotes From 'Gulliver's Travels'

These are a few of Jonathan Swift's satire quotes from his famous book 'Gulliver's Travels'.

14. "Of so little weight are the greatest services to princes... to gratify their passions."

-Gulliver, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

15. "Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be old."

-Jonathan Swift, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

16. "Undoubtedly, philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great."

-Gulliver, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

17. "... their dead with their heads directly downwards... confess the absurdity of this doctrine, but the practice still continues."

-Gulliver, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

18. "But rather, I take this quality to spring from a very common infirmity of human nature."

-Gulliver, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

19. "How low an opinion I had of human wisdom and integrity when I was truly informed."

-Gulliver, 'Gulliver's Travels'.

Chuck Palahniuk Satire Quote Examples

Here are a few of the best satire quotes by Chuck Palahniuk implemented in his book(s).

20. "Young people want mirrors. Older people want art."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Burnt Tongues'.

21. "This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Fight Club'.

22. "Nothing shows you the straight line from here to death like a list."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Survivor'.

23. "These days, most of the people you hear laughing are dead."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Lullaby'.

24. "Life is short; death is forever."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Damned'.

25. "According to Plato, we don't learn anything... Teachers and education can only remind us of what we already know."

-Chuck Palahniuk, 'Diary'.

Satire Quotes From Movies

These satires implemented in both American and English movies are known for being simple and effective. Which movie satire quote is your favorite one?

26. "The President skillfully placates the situation with some soothing incendiary comments."

-Narrator, 'Death To 2020'.

27. "Syd, I love this country. I owe it everything. That's why I can make fun of it!"

-Charles Spencer Chaplin, 'Chaplin'.

28. "What do you call a thousand lawyers buried up to their necks in sand? Not enough sand."

-Mike, 'Poolhall Junkies'.

29. "It's not the altitude, it's the attitude."

-Scott Fischer, 'Everest'.

30. "Your levity is good; it relieves tension and the fear of death."

-Terminator, 'Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines'.

The Greatest Satire Quotes Ever

A collection of some of the greatest and most epic satire quotes on the internet, from American satire, to English, there are so many new comedy satire quotes to explore! Which one is your favorite quote?

31. "You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it."

-Art Buchwald.

32. "Satire chooses and knows no objects."

-Karl Kraus.

33. "The typewriting machine, when played with expression, is no more annoying than the piano when played by a sister or near relation."

-Oscar Wilde.

34. "Satire is a lesson, parody is a game."

-Vladimir Nabokov.

35. "A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere."

-Groucho Marx.

36. "I talk to God but the sky is empty."

-Sylvia Plath.

37. "She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it)."

-Lewis Carroll, 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland'.

38. "Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours."

-Rudyard Kipling.

The Best Satire Quotes From 'Network'

Here are a few of the best comedy and satirical quotes from the famous comedy-drama 'Network'.

39. "Let's stop kidding ourselves. Full-fledged messiahs don't come in bunches."

-Diana Christensen, 'Network'.

40. "I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad."

-Howard Beale, 'Network'.

41. "Why not? I'd like to be an angry prophet denouncing the hypocrisies of our times."

- Howard Beale, 'Network'.

42. "I'm not giving this pseudo-insurrectionary sedentarian a piece of my show."

-Laureen Hobbs, 'Network'.

43. "I'm imbued with some special spirit. It's not a religious feeling at all."

-Howard Beale, 'Network'.

Satire Quotes From 'Sorry To Bother You'

These 'Sorry To Bother You' quotes from the satire film will leave the audience in a fit of laughter.

44. "Let me give you a tip. If you want to make some money here, use your white voice."

-Langston, 'Sorry To Bother You'.

45. "I’m just out here surviving and what I’m doing right now won’t even matter."

-Cassius 'Cash' Green, 'Sorry To Bother You'.

46. "God made this land for all of us. Greedy people like you want to hog it to yourself and your family."

-Cassius 'Cash' Green, 'Sorry To Bother You'.

47. "This is morally emaciating. I can't ride with you."

-Detroit, 'Sorry To Bother You'.

48. "We will have a transformative experience."

-Detroit, 'Sorry To Bother You'.

The Best Satire Quotes From Chaplin

These Chaplin quotes are special to the readers.

49. "It gives them a pleasure to see officialdom and the upper classes getting a kick up the backside..."

-Charles Spencer Chaplin.

50. "You're not good enough. You're not complete enough..."

-Charles Spencer Chaplin.

Satire Quotes From 'Fight Club '

These quotes from the English movie 'Fight Club' are quite different from that of the book in its satire and never fail to impress the audience.

51. "This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time."

-Tyler, 'Fight Club'.

52. "I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom."

-The Narrator, 'Fight Club'.

53. "Listen up, maggots. You are not special... You are the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

-Tyler, 'Fight Club'.

54. "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."

-Tyler, 'Fight Club'.

55. "When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep, and you're never really awake."

-The Narrator, 'Fight Club'.

'Ed Wood' Satire Quotes

Satire quotes from the movie 'Ed Wood' are known to be comical and ironical to most viewers.

56. "Eddie, we're in show biz... If you look good, and you talk well, people will swallow anything."

-Criswell, 'Ed Wood'.

57. "Visions are worth fighting for. Why spend your life making someone else's dreams?"

-Orson Welles, 'Ed Wood'.

58. "We are all interested in the future cause that is where we will be spending the rest of our lives"

-Criswell, 'Ed Wood'.

59. "This business, this town... it chews you up and spits you out. I'm just an ex-boogeyman."

-Bela Lugosi, 'Ed Wood'.

60. "I refuse to drive in this country. Too many madmen."

-Bela Lugosi, 'Ed Wood'.

61. "How do you get all your friends to get baptized just so you can make a monster movie?"

-Bunny Breckinridge, 'Ed Wood'.

Satire Quotes From Life

Here are a few satirical thoughts by popular men and women that will leave the reader spellbound and impressed.

62. "When asked, 'Why do you always wear black?', he said, 'I am mourning for my life.'"

-Anton Chekhov.

63. "Most men are not wicked... They are sleep-walkers, not evil evildoers."

-Franz Kafka.

64. "The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson.

65. "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."

-Lao Tzu.

66. "I know all those words, but that sentence makes no sense to me."

-Matt Groening.

Interesting Quotes About Satire

Here are some powerful quotes and thoughts about satire derived from great personalities.

67. "You can't debate satire."

-Michael Moore.

68. "I think comedy and satire are a very important part of democracy... or vanities of people in power."

-Rory Bremner.

69. "Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful."

-Molly Ivins.

70. "It is hard for power to enjoy or incorporate humor and satire in its system of control."

-Dario Fo.

71. "People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House."

-Robin Williams

72. "Effective satire has to be almost identical to the subject that it is skewering."

-T. J. Miller.

73. "A sitcom isn't usually the right tool for satire."

-Chris Morris.

74. "I try and write satire that's well-intentioned. But those intentions have to be hidden..."

-Bo Burnham.

75. "Either you get it or you don't."

-Michael Moore.

Best Political Satire Quotes

These are some of the most refined political satire quotes by political representatives or well-wishers.

76. "I hate purity; I hate goodness! I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones."

-George Orwell, '1984'.

77. "We have no ideas, and they're pretty firm."

-Joseph Heller.

78. "I like the pooch. When I've had a dog's snout in my mouth, we tend to develop a special bond."

-Randy Quarles.

79. "... she never forgot it. A few months later, that riot became the backdrop for her first political satire."

-Nancy Rubin Stuart.

80. "Political satire became obsolete when they awarded Henry Kissinger the Nobel Peace Prize."

-Tom Lehrer.

81. "It's a great time to be doing political satire when the world is on a knife-edge."

-John Oliver.

William Shakespeare Satirical Quotes About Life

These are a few of William Shakespeare's satirical life quotes from his works.

82. "What is done cannot be undone."

-William Shakespeare.

83. "The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together. "

-William Shakespeare, 'All's Well That Ends Well'.

84. "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. "

-William Shakespeare, 'Twelfth Night'.

85. "Let life be short: else shame will be too long."

-William Shakespeare, 'Henry V'.

86. "And a man's life's no more than to say 'One.'"

-William Shakespeare, 'Hamlet'.

87. "There where my fortune lives, there my life dies. "

- William Shakespeare, 'King John'.

Satire Life Quotes From Albert Einstein

Sir Albert Einstein shared his views and thoughts on life with these fine quotes.

88. "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch and do nothing."

-Albert Einstein.

89. "You cannot fix yourself by breaking someone else."

-Albert Einstein.

90. "Thinking is difficult, that's why most people judge."

-Albert Einstein.

91. "Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

-Albert Einstein.

92. "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."

-Albert Einstein.

93. "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

-Albert Einstein.

More Satirical Sayings And Quotes

Here are a few thoughtful, satirical life quotes and sayings by famous personalities.

94. "Satire, like conscience, reminds us of what we often wish to forget."

-Marguerite Gardiner.

95. "Satire is a kind of poetry in which human vices are reprehended."

-John Dryden.

96. "Good satire hopefully provides thought-provoking conversation."

-Lizz Winstead.

97. "Satire is a wrapping of exaggeration around a core of reality."

-Barbara W. Tuchman.

98. "In general satire, every man perceives a slight attack, yet neither fears nor grieves."

-George Crabbe.

Satire Quotes About Life By Mark Twain

These are a few fine satire quotes from pieces by Mark Twain.

99. "Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody."

-Mark Twain.

100. "Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well."

-Mark Twain.

101. "Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."

-Mark Twain.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully curated lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked these 101 great satire quotes from movies, literature, and life, then why not take a look at our sarcastic quotes and [comedian quotes] too?

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Written by Divya Raghav

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

Divya Raghav picture

Divya RaghavBachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

With a diverse range of experience in finance, administration, and operations, Divya is a diligent worker known for her attention to detail. Born and raised in Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor's in Commerce from Christ University and is now pursuing an MBA at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore. Along with her professional pursuits, Divya has a passion for baking, dancing, and writing content. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.

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