True that hyperbole is often used in satire, but it no way defines such humour. This article employs netherr sarcasm or irony.
How do you spot satire? It can be hard at times, subtle satire can mock something or someone without the target of its derision even being aware. There are cues of course, knowing the person or persons who are making the point are unlikely to be making it sincerely. For instance, a renowned atheist playing the faithful. the weakness and absurdity in her/his statements take on a new light beyond simply weak argumentation. Otherwise there are usually some kind of flag, some claim, statement or argument which are too ridiculous-to be believed, especially within a discourse which appears sensible. Playing it straight in order to heighten the irony is integral to modern satire.
This is how you know the
Onion isn't delivering the news and
Stephen Colbert isn't a right wing nut jobMaddox's article is neither absurd nor insincere. His argumentative style is simply highly informal and prone to colourful language. He's stating his argument in inflated and melodramatic language to draw people's attention, which is fairly common among blogs. Satire would have been taking the alternative position, the anti-intellectual and anti-mathematics viewpoint he was deriding, and expressed its folly through making absurd statements against what he really believes.
How do I know he sincerely believes his arguments? I can't completely. However, a thoroughly critical reading reveals no intentional contradictions or apparent facetiousness. Thus it would be ineffectual as any form of satire.
