I love sarcasm. Not only is it a straightforward way of communicating, but those who use it regularly are some of the kindest people in the world. Really.
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One of the best things about sarcasm is that it rarely causes people to get upset. Rather, it enables one to be tactful. For instance, when I walk into my apartment and my roommate is playing some marshmallowy drivel on his stereo, I’m not so cruel as to tell him that even John Denver would probably retch from listening to such sentimental goo.
Sarcasm also enables people to say so much more than they normally could. For instance, if I’m eating dinner with Kevin and he tells a story that he incorrectly thinks is interesting, sarcasm enables me to communicate what I’m really feeling. I say, “Gee, Kev, that sure is scintillating stuff”–whereas without sarcasm I wouldn’t be able to tell him what a boring story it was. (That’s not to say that I’d be at all frustrated if I didn’t let him know how bored I was.) Kevin greatly appreciates my input. When I make one of my sarcastic, helpful comments, he invariably replies, “Thanks a lot.”
Of course some people say that sarcasm is just a way to complain without sounding like you’re complaining–or to take cheap shots instead of bothering to explain positions. In fact, I just had an incredibly insightful discussion with some guy who told me that. It was a great talk because I learned so much. We sat there chatting for hours and hours, and I didn’t get bored once. Some people sure are intelligent.
