I believe that the intent is to be both. We live in a world where people are so afraid of offending anyone that everyone tries too hard to be PC (hence, phrases like "Vertically challenged" instead of "short"wink. when you have shows like South Park and the Simpsons that show us the idiocy of this mindset and still let us laugh at ourselves, I think it's a rare and wonderful thing.
I acually think its kinda scary, i jus noticed it teaches u lessons, like stans dogs a homo tell us about accepting ppl. ahhh, they're teaching us stuff!!!! but other then that, i agree that if we can't laugh at ourselves, its a sad, sad bland world.