Sarcasm = Crossing the Line
Sarcasm has its place but I have never cared for a lot of it. To me, its a form of verbal attack. Often a very sarcastic person uses their sarcasm to cover inner anger & rage. Or a misplaced sense of superiority Maybe its at the person(s) or thing(s) they are commenting on - maybe its anger transferred from something else in their life.
In short, I feel its often nasty & done purposely. It can be very humiliating to be the receiver or to even hear it said about other people or things. I've heard people who are very sarcastic say they consider themselves "funny & humorous." Sorry, I don't.
I use sarcasm occasionally myself but I prefer irony or humor to get my point across - Sarcasm isn't always funny - its sometimes a form of hate speech.
For those of us striving to be more ethical to everyone - here's a little quiz:
By Avis Yarbrough
The dictionary defines sarcasm as a cutting or contemptuous remark. If you are one of those people who considers themselves sardonic or whose sense of humor has a sarcastic edge, it may even be underlying your relationships. Sarcasm can be hurtful toward someone is allowing himself or herself to be vulnerable with you. Here is a mini quiz:
1. Do You use sarcasm when you are
A. Feeling relaxed and playful.
B. Mad and upset.
C. Whenever the mood strikes you.
2. When someone says something you don't like your instincts are to
A. Tell them you don't like what they are saying.
B. Make a cutting sarcastic remark in hopes of hurting their feelings.
C. Think something sarcastic, but keep it to yourself.
3. You use sarcasm
A. As a way to make people laugh.
B. As a way to push people away or hurt them.
C. Whenever the mood strikes me.
4. I feel what when I make a sarcastic remark toward my partner
A. Ashamed and disgusted with myself.
B. I congratulate myself on how clever I am.
C. I don't think about what I said in the heat of the moment.
5. When my partner makes a sarcastic remark toward me I
A. Tell them to stop and take what I just said seriously.
B. Make a sarcastic remark right back.
C. Walk out of the room
6. You know that if you are sarcastic to your partner they will
A. Answer back with hostility.
B. Shut up
C. Probably be mad at me but not say anything.
7. When do you feel that your sarcasm is inappropriate
A. When someone is saying something important and it could hurt his or her feelings.
B. I don't it is simply how I say things.
C. When I can't think of anything sarcastic to say.
If your answers were mostly A, then while you have a sarcastic sense of humor you don't use it as a weapon.
If your answers were mostly B, then you don't deal with your feelings well and oftentimes use your sarcasm to push people away or denigrate them. You need to get a handle on this before you drive people you love away with your sarcasm.
If your answers were mostly C, then you need to work on speaking up for yourself, your too passive in the face of some very unpleasant situations.
In short, I feel its often nasty & done purposely. It can be very humiliating to be the receiver or to even hear it said about other people or things. I've heard people who are very sarcastic say they consider themselves "funny & humorous." Sorry, I don't.
I use sarcasm occasionally myself but I prefer irony or humor to get my point across - Sarcasm isn't always funny - its sometimes a form of hate speech.
For those of us striving to be more ethical to everyone - here's a little quiz:
By Avis Yarbrough
The dictionary defines sarcasm as a cutting or contemptuous remark. If you are one of those people who considers themselves sardonic or whose sense of humor has a sarcastic edge, it may even be underlying your relationships. Sarcasm can be hurtful toward someone is allowing himself or herself to be vulnerable with you. Here is a mini quiz:
1. Do You use sarcasm when you are
A. Feeling relaxed and playful.
B. Mad and upset.
C. Whenever the mood strikes you.
2. When someone says something you don't like your instincts are to
A. Tell them you don't like what they are saying.
B. Make a cutting sarcastic remark in hopes of hurting their feelings.
C. Think something sarcastic, but keep it to yourself.
3. You use sarcasm
A. As a way to make people laugh.
B. As a way to push people away or hurt them.
C. Whenever the mood strikes me.
4. I feel what when I make a sarcastic remark toward my partner
A. Ashamed and disgusted with myself.
B. I congratulate myself on how clever I am.
C. I don't think about what I said in the heat of the moment.
5. When my partner makes a sarcastic remark toward me I
A. Tell them to stop and take what I just said seriously.
B. Make a sarcastic remark right back.
C. Walk out of the room
6. You know that if you are sarcastic to your partner they will
A. Answer back with hostility.
B. Shut up
C. Probably be mad at me but not say anything.
7. When do you feel that your sarcasm is inappropriate
A. When someone is saying something important and it could hurt his or her feelings.
B. I don't it is simply how I say things.
C. When I can't think of anything sarcastic to say.
If your answers were mostly A, then while you have a sarcastic sense of humor you don't use it as a weapon.
If your answers were mostly B, then you don't deal with your feelings well and oftentimes use your sarcasm to push people away or denigrate them. You need to get a handle on this before you drive people you love away with your sarcasm.
If your answers were mostly C, then you need to work on speaking up for yourself, your too passive in the face of some very unpleasant situations.
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