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What do you think of sarcasm in online posts? Why do you think it's so common? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 4 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Maybe it's just a reddit/Threadiverse thing, maybe it's stronger in political communities, but I constantly see sarcasm everywhere online, far more than anywhere else. Scroll down and you'll even see it here.

Funnily enough, in a vacuum, one might expect online forums to avoid it more, since written text can mask tone and make sarcasm unintentionally ambiguous, to the point where it's common to see people adding tags to clarify. It's not rare to see arguments started when people don't recognise non-literal language.

Is it merely a habit being repeated? Is it a widespread coping mechanism for frustration? Is it simply the lowest form of wit, a simple and popular way to make fun? Is it an effective way to normalise unpopular views with the plausible deniability of just making jokes?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

@comfy There's a certain art to using sarcasm and other forms of irony on the Internet.

Irony only works if everybody is in on the joke. Even the butt of the joke, unless it is your explicit intention to offend them. Otherwise, it's just being an insufferable asshole. Because you end up just confusing and/or offending random people. No bueno.

My recipie: read the room. If you're unsure your irony will be recognized, don't use it. Just fucking don't.