Faking News, the Indian fake news website came up with this story some days back :

Unable to attract even a single girl, frustrated man sues Axe.

There were ample of hints suggesting that it was a piece of satire, but someone scooped this story and turned it into an internet rage. So much that Axe had to come up with an official statement regarding the matter :

Axe spokesperson Heather Mitchell sent Asylum this statement:

“We’ve been following the news reports from India where a man was allegedly planning to take legal action for the Axe Effect not working for him personally. We can confirm this is a hoax. In fact the story originated from TheFakingNews.com. While the story is not true, we have to admit that it’s pretty funny and the joke itself is very much in line with our brand tone — playful, with a wink and a nudge. While Axe grooming products can help guys look, smell and feel great, there is only so much we can do; the rest is up to guys themselves.”

The incident is so funny that it should be called funnier, despite have no other object of comparison.

Such incidents have happened in the past where pieces from The Onion, the most popular fake news website, have appeared in mainstream media citing The Onion News Agency as the source. But you’d think Faking News would’ve been easier to spot. Evidently not.

As someone who writes satire, I find it disturbing that we live in times where satire could very well be the voice of a fundamentalist. As one of those Immutable Laws of the Internet goes,

Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humour, it is impossible to create a parody of fundamentalism that someone won’t mistake for the real thing.

Quite true. I always thought satire should have that element of irrationality or unreal-ism by way of which it makes a point. Turns out, even irrationality is no safeguard against someone mistaking it for a serious opinion. I have myself been a victim of this, often inviting comments either mocking/criticizing my view or agreeing with it wholeheartedly. The latter is way more scarier though.

Given the thin line between fundamentalism and good satire, and the even increasing extremism of fundamentalist ideas, the day might not be far when we both share the same source of information and news.

What is news for me might be comedy for them, and what is news for them, will be my entertainment.

I’m not sure if that’s uber-cool or scary.