Thoughts for: Tuesday 11th July 2006
Engadget readership: returns of the :: [14:54:10]What happened to sarcasm? In general what happened to sarcasm online?
This may just be an example of the general bottom of the barrel that tend to be the quickest to post on any topic on a large online community (hence the lack in quality on Slashdot for years now), but the sheer quantity of idiocy everywhere in which slow witted individuals are quick to react harshly and without any hint of sarcasm to the most plainly and unashamedly or ironic and sarcastic content is so great that it boggles the mind where all these people originate!
Many years ago, in fact when I first started using the 'net seriously (e.g. e-mails, IM's and fora became my tools of communication), I often held the belief that generally Americans lacked a good grasp of what we Brits refer to as sarcasm, not to mention dark humour, irony, and wit.
However, in recent years (mainly while at university), I've found a great deal of "southerners" (those Brits that originate from the South) seem to lack a good grasp of sarcasm/irony, and the good old fashioned Northern past time of "winding people up".
It's not a general rule, but it is in the majority.
What happened to the world?
The majority of online commentary merely seems to reflect a real world lacking in understanding of any kind of humour that doesn't include
- A laugh track.
- A "smilie"/"emoticon".
- A huge legal disclaimer.
- Ricky Gervais.
I don't know about any of my weary readers, but the very thought of a future that involves including Mr Gervais in any act worthy of comedic value frightens me to my deep dark soul.
Beware, here there be straight lines.
