It?s often said sarcasm is the lowest form of wit (and puns are the lowest form of humour). I wasn?t really sure why, so I thought I?d do some investigation.
Consider this from Dave Buley of Seaforth:
Sarcasm is said to be a low form of humour as its intent is generally to get laughs at someone else?s expense. The pointed humour may not be funny to the victim but its funny to those who understand the barb as it feeds their intellectual egos. This is because sarcasm is a form of humour that is known to require the highest functions of our brains. Areas of the brain that decipher sarcasm and irony also process language, recognise emotions and help understand social cues. Sarcasm is related to our ability to understand other people?s mental state so it?s not just a linguistic form, it?s also related to social cognition.
By no means do I consider myself intellectually superior to you. Just because I am trying to teach you something that is usually innate and comes easy to those who are clever and intelligent, or at least quick-witted, does not mean that I presume to think myself your superior, and expect that you genuflect before me.
You?re right in that if you were exposed to sarcasm early enough I think you can develop it along with ordinary language skills, especially humour, as both my brother and I now feed off family dinner conversation topics searching for a funnier angle, with the sole intention of bringing the table into shrieks of laughter. We?d constantly dissect the conversation looking to turn the story into a light-hearted barb at the other person or better yet, use it to launch into Monty Python or other cult-movie skits. I think there?s a point though where you have to watch when someone starts use too much sarcasm as it just starts to sound nasty and bitter. Used sparingly it can help everyone have a good time.
I think we?re on a similar page. In the wrong hands sarcasm can be absolutely nasty and cutting, but when used good naturedly a lot of fun (though that does appear on the surface to be an oxymoron). I think that by exposing children to sarcasm, at the very least they can detect it, and are less likely to be on the receiving end of it from others (by not tolerating it).
Consider this from Dave Buley of Seaforth:
Sarcasm is said to be a low form of humour as its intent is generally to get laughs at someone else?s expense. The pointed humour may not be funny to the victim but its funny to those who understand the barb as it feeds their intellectual egos. This is because sarcasm is a form of humour that is known to require the highest functions of our brains. Areas of the brain that decipher sarcasm and irony also process language, recognise emotions and help understand social cues. Sarcasm is related to our ability to understand other people?s mental state so it?s not just a linguistic form, it?s also related to social cognition.
By no means do I consider myself intellectually superior to you. Just because I am trying to teach you something that is usually innate and comes easy to those who are clever and intelligent, or at least quick-witted, does not mean that I presume to think myself your superior, and expect that you genuflect before me.
You?re right in that if you were exposed to sarcasm early enough I think you can develop it along with ordinary language skills, especially humour, as both my brother and I now feed off family dinner conversation topics searching for a funnier angle, with the sole intention of bringing the table into shrieks of laughter. We?d constantly dissect the conversation looking to turn the story into a light-hearted barb at the other person or better yet, use it to launch into Monty Python or other cult-movie skits. I think there?s a point though where you have to watch when someone starts use too much sarcasm as it just starts to sound nasty and bitter. Used sparingly it can help everyone have a good time.
I think we?re on a similar page. In the wrong hands sarcasm can be absolutely nasty and cutting, but when used good naturedly a lot of fun (though that does appear on the surface to be an oxymoron). I think that by exposing children to sarcasm, at the very least they can detect it, and are less likely to be on the receiving end of it from others (by not tolerating it).
awprint: RUBY Imagine yourself doing What you love and loving What you do, Being happy From the inside Out, experiencing your Dreams wide awake,
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