Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt”. There is a saying that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Although nowadays, it’s a new trend to be sarcastic because it just seems stylish or fashionable.
It’s actually said that sarcastic people are creative.No doubt, where else can you get taunts that confuse people for a second to whether commit a murder or laugh it off cause you cray-cray. It’s okay to be light-heartedly sarcastic and it’s a totally different way when you want to ridicule a person. Sarcasm often relies on putting another person down and as a result, it will often make those people look or feel small as a result.
Why do people get sarcastic?
If sarcasm was a coin, humor would be one side of it, which just so happens to be the quickest way to earn someone’s admiration. Screw taking the longer route! There isn’t really much art to this particular brand of humor. People tend to have low self-esteem and so require the use of put downs such as sarcasm in order to try and make themselves feel or look better.
A realization of something called an argument from ignorance. It involves you implying that someone else is wrong about something, but you conveniently can’t be bothered to explain how they are actually wrong. You end up making fun of it and the situation; not caring if someone gets hurt or not. Responding to those innocent (sometimes infuriating) queries with mockery and irony, and getting a laugh at someone else’s expense never gets boring. We all love it!
Remember your school/college days where there were a bunch of bullies who used to ridicule or hurt other people, while some of their supporters would just laugh and enjoy them bullying? This is exactly what a sarcastic person does in both ‘online’ & ‘offline’ world. Such people consider themselves superior to others and use sarcasm as a way to prove their point which unfortunately is considered ‘cool’ nowadays.
How to deal with sarcastic people?
Stop them: If someone is using sarcasm consistently and damaging your self-esteem or reputation, or taking the enjoyment out of the social occasion, then you need to address the issue and get them to stop.
Ignore them: One option is to refuse to acknowledge the sarcastic comments and instead treat them as genuine. This way you can quickly move the subject on and often turn it around so that they end up being the ones who look stupid.
Retaliate: If the situation reaches danger zone, perhaps the opposite strategy is to give back with sarcasm of your own.
Be ludicrous: Give random or senseless answers or make fun before they could, so everyone would have a good laugh and move on.
Terminate conversation and person: Not actually kill them, as much you want to, just cut them off from your life.
The play of words, the subtle meaning of phrases, sentence structure and even the tone of delivery raise sarcasm to the level of art which only a few can master.
Many people act as if sarcasm is a special thing that only they and a few have and it makes them feel smart. The truth is that today, sarcasm is used in a very a very passive-aggressive way. It’s nothing close to stylish or fashionable. However, it’s supposed to be funny if done cleverly and without cruelty; it’s just a form of teasing which, let’s face it, it’s a universal element of humor.
