Swift's 'A Modest Proposal'

Swift's satire is much darker than "Dr. Strangelove" and although not as funny, was nevertheless really interesting to read. Swift creates the archtypal satirical essay which no doubt has influenced many people. By taking a serious problem and then making a completly bizarre and disturbing "fake" scenario Swift at once creates a discussion forum on the problem. Even if people at the time were talking about how his essay was "too much for them," still he must have got people talking about the issue. Of course many people might have taken him literally and didn't understand what he was aiming to do, and that is the problem with heavy satire like this, many people might miss the idea behind it entirely .