[tyleo]

There are political cartoons of kings, politicians, presidents, going back ages. I agree it’s low brow but it isn’t like some line has been crossed.

It’s good to chuckle every once in awhile and I hope even Marc Andreessen gets a laugh when he sees this.

[rexpop]

Bingo! Mocking the elite is a deeply rooted historical tool used to challenge the powerful. Historically, the "carnivalesque" tradition aimed to mock all customary kinds of social hierarchy. By donning masks or mocking those in power, ordinary people could temporarily dissolve the differences between the rich and the poor, challenging the legitimacy of the ruling class. Elites have always feared and suppressed these displays precisely because ridicule has a leveling effect that makes it impossible for them to retain their dignity and authority.

Over the last several decades, a tiny fraction of the wealthiest families in America—the top 0.1%—have effectively transformed the United States into a civil oligarchy, using their unfathomable fortunes to manipulate government policy and the legal system to serve their own financial interests.

Public mockery and collective joy are incredibly effective at forging unity among the powerless. In the face of overwhelming corporate and state power, achieving the immediate joy of solidarity is often a movement's sole source of strength.