In 1729, a pivotal piece of rhetorical literature was penned, at the time in secret, by satirist Johnathan Swift. It’s purpose was to persuade England’s House of Lords to action in defence of the Irish people. For those unfamiliar, Johnathan Swift happened to write a little book called Gulliver’s Travels and the Irish at this time, are, the poor. No. The poorest of the poor. Stricken by famine and jackboot apathy, the Irish people were headed for extermination. The great wheel turns once more.

We face a new extermination in this modern day. The extermination of critical thinking and empathy. With that primer, we say PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE ELEPHANT!

Pay no attention

In 1702, a different sort of rhetorical literature, in the form of a pamphlet, was published by renowned English journalist and writer, Daniel Defoe. Hailed as another one of histories most galvanizing pieces of satirical rhetoric, unlike Swift, Defoe found himself imprisoned two years later for approximately six months.

…to the elephant

Published in 1724, renowned artist and satirist William Hogarth unveiled this, albeit not so subtle, piece entitled Emblematic Print on the South Sea Scheme. This particular fun fact is attributed to all the wealthy English that lost a good deal of money, and sanity, when the South Sea Company collapsed. So entwined with the British empire it was that the economic bubble popped as a valued trade resource became valueless.

fig.1 Emblematical Print on the South Sea Scheme, Engraving, William Hogarth, 1721