Ridicule:
* Primary goal: To make someone or something appear foolish or contemptible. The focus is on belittling and shaming the target. It's often blunt, direct, and lacking in nuance.
* Method: Simple mockery, insults, or sarcastic remarks. It aims for a quick laugh at the target's expense.
* Effect: Can be hurtful and unproductive. It often shuts down dialogue and fosters negativity. It rarely offers constructive criticism or solutions.
Satire:
* Primary goal: To expose and criticize folly, vice, or societal flaws through humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. While it *can* use ridicule, it's a broader and more sophisticated tool. The focus is on the issue, not just on humiliating the individual.
* Method: Uses wit, irony, parody, and other literary devices to create a humorous critique. It might involve exaggeration, understatement, or creating a humorous contrast between expectation and reality.
* Effect: Aims to provoke thought and inspire change. It can be sharp and critical, but it often does so in a way that encourages reflection and debate. It may offer implied or explicit solutions.
In short: Ridicule is a *tool* that satire *might* use, but satire is a much larger, more complex form of social commentary. Ridicule is often mean-spirited, while satire aims for a deeper and more meaningful critique, even if it uses humor that can be biting. Think of ridicule as a slap in the face, while satire is a more nuanced and considered social commentary, sometimes delivered with a satirical slap, but often using more sophisticated techniques.