Social commentary - Definition and Overview

Social commentary is the act of sharing one's opinion on the nature of a society to another person. This is most often used with the idea of bringing a change in society by means of informing the general populace of a given problem. Problems range in topic and relevance, from the starving and poor in Britain written about by Thomas Swift, to Martin Luther's struggle against the Catholic church. Generally social commentators, people who write about social issues, are well educated upper class members who have both the time and the money to devote to their writings. However social commentary does not necessarily have to be designed with the idea of social change, it can also just be normal talk or conversation.

Modern Day Commentary

The internet has opened whole new venues for Social Commentary. Anyone, anytime, anywhere can now post their opinions on the internet for all to see. With the internet as their ally even a citizen of the lowest class and standing can make their idea or opinion known.

Famous Commentators

• Adam Smith
• Confucius
• Hippocrates
• John Locke
• Mark Twain
• Martin Luther
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Karl Marx
• Oscar Wilde
• Plato
• Socrates
• Voltaire