sunniboy007
Critic: People today place an especially high value on respect for others; yet, in their comedy acts, many of today's most popular comedians display blatant disrespect for others. But when people fail to live up to the very ideals they hold in highest esteem, exaggeration of such failings often forms the basis of successful comedy. Thus the current popularity of comedians who display disrespect in their acts is hardly surprising.
The criticт's argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?
Argument -
General trend - high value for respect but in comedy acts - comedians disrespect others.
Author says for successful comedy - exaggerate the general failings of ideals people hold in high esteem.
Since, comedians are exaggerating the general failings, their success is hardly surprising.
Notice - Comedians are exaggerating the general failings. But for this conclusion - we need to assume that people are failing for comedians to exaggerate.
(A) People who enjoy comedians who display disrespect in their acts do not place a high value on respect for others.
- If people do not place high value on respect --> then in peoples' view they are not failing in holding ideals in high esteem --> thus they will not enjoy the exaggeration --> thus contradicts the conclusion
- Wrong
(B) Only comedians who display blatant disrespect in their acts are currently successful.
- This is not necessary not thus the argument assume this thing. The focus is on the comedians who disrespect not on the fact that such comedians are the only successful comedians
- Wrong
(C) Many people disapprove of the portrayal of blatant disrespect for others in comedy acts.
- Irrelevant
(D) People who value an ideal especially highly do not always succeed in living up to this ideal.
- People value respect highly. The comedians can exaggerate only if people cannot maintain this ideal. Thus people sometimes fail in living up to this ideal
- Correct
(E) People today fail to live up to their own ideals more frequently than was the case in the past
- The trick is to not neglect the last part. The option would have been a contender had the option been:
People today fail to live up to their own ideals- The comparison with past cases makes this option irrelevant.
- Wrong