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  • This is a very short story about sarcasm:

    Ted opposes racist rants.

    Yesterday - Ted posted a few exaggerated racist rants (sometimes with the /s).

    2,177 people saw Ted’s racist rants.

    • 50% of them guessed he was joking.
    • 98% of them would not have seen a racist rant yesterday, if it weren’t for Ted's little gag.

    So the question is:

    Despite the sarcasm... isn’t Ted just spreading more of what he honestly deplores?

    Is Ted subverting his own integrity?

    Why not say how we actually feel?

    • i think there's merit to sarcasm depending how it's done. satire can be a powerful tool to poke holes into ideas.

      but like many things in life, you need tact and a bit of self awareness

      • I agree, there is a time for purposeful sarcasm.

        To me, it requires two conditions:

        1. A person has already expressed their real perspective to a specific ‘opponent’, and
        2. That specific opponent cannot see the hole in their own logic.

        This Norm MacDonald radio clip is a good example.

        He explains his true perspective, and only switches to sarcasm for one sentence (at 5:25), to show the opponent how she is being goofy [and it works].

        His foundation of sincerity gives context to the sarcasm.

        Conversely - nowadays - a common ‘communication style’ is to just spray aimless sarcasm at distant or imaginary foes,

        which (to me) reflects a deeper cultural issue...

        a hiding behind mockery, a suppression of real constructive bravery,

        just dunking on one-dimensional charicatures of strangers (who might not actually exist).

        [So I agree with you - there are times for purposeful sarcasm.]

52 comments