Translation: Nothing conveys the feeling of infinity as much as stupidity does.

Whether it makes us smile or irritates us, political satire encourages us to look inside ourselves and, more generally, at what is happening in society. [...] In any case, even an ungenerous and disrespectful attack is better than any kind of censorship. We can defend ourselves against the former, but not the latter.

The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself, but in so doing, he identifies himself with people — that is, people everywhere, not for the purpose of taking them apart, but simply revealing their true nature.

The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself.

Satire is a lesson, parody is a game.

There is parody, when you make fun of people who are smarter than you; satire, when you make fun of people who are richer than you; and burlesque, when you make fun of both while taking your clothes off.

Wherever there is objective truth there is satire.

People’s capacity for turning dogmatic stupidity into political movements never ceased to amaze me.

Good satire goes beyond the specific point it's trying to make and teaches you how to think critically.

"Your stupidity is appalling!"
"Most stupidity is!"

Stupidity is a talent for misconception.

Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own.

Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind reception it meets with in the world, and that so very few are offended with it.

It is not always easy to diagnose. The simplest form of stupidity — the mumbling, nose-picking, stolid incomprehension — can be detected by anyone. But the stupidity which disguises itself as thought, and which talks so glibly and eloquently, indeed never stops talking, in every walk of life is not so easy to identify, because it marches under a formidable name, which few dare attack. It is called Popular Opinion.