Sarcasm: A Good form of Humor?

Humor,in all its form,should evoke laughter and lift the mood.Enabling us to see the lighter side of a situation.The end result of humor should always be positive. Sarcasm,on the other hand aims at ridiculing,taunting or targetting personal shortcomings.I feel its a very negative form of expression.In no way it should be interpreted as humor. Unlike satire,which aims at attacking or pointing out at the failings of a system,institution or social vices for awareness and correction,sarcasm plays no positive role and ends up hurting the target. These are my views and may seem absolutely incorrect to you and others.:-)

Some of my friends here on myLot have a wonderful sense of humour which I admire so much. It is great to join in their threads and have some fun together. I think sarcasm is a legitimate type of humour and very effective, but has its place and can so easily be out of place. Sarcasm as humour is greatly appreciated between friends who understand each other, but used with a stranger or an acquaintance, or a casual friend, it could be hurtful. There is only one person I use sarcasm with and he is a long standing friend. We call each other sparring partners, but have a great respect for each other and understand each other. I seldom use it with others.

It has been said that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. I disagree, maybe cause I'm getting really good at it! I've come to learn that not all jibes are a personal affront to me, though I used to think they were, ouch! This is where humor is misunderstood, but that's a mood issue and a person's individual standpoint that makes sarcasm hurt. Did you know that many enlightened humans are very humorous. Humans and humor are supposed to go together, I mean this is one big cosmic joke - right? My use of sarcasm is now pointed at humanity as a whole and not to any individual. I'm actually laughing or making light of our feeble attempt to be human which is a far cry from where I used to express myself.

I've had a couple of close encounters with people who seemed to try so hard to look or sound funny, yet the tend to go the exact opposite way..sounding sarcastic and sometimes hurting some people in the group. personally, if I still can take it I just shrug it off..but if their sarcasm reach way beyond my "ridicule tolerance", am afraid I'd return him the favor in split second.. :P by then they would learn that it's never at all times easy to match the humorous level of other people, thus leading the one trying hard to offend the person he's throwing jokes at...and would picture out first if his "joke" would really be a joke for laughing and not for hurting.

Sarcasm is just a way of doing humour. Most of the times, it's an intelligent way of doing a joke or a remark. And I do enjoy intelligent humour. But it’s not that easy to make a sarcasm joke. Like all jokes timing is essential to make a good sarcastic remark. I try to make them. I don't mind if people don't understand it or if they get offended by it.

Read this quotes for sarcasm examples ----Edward Abbey -- A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government. Joey Adams -- Stay with me; I want to be alone -- A psychiatrist is a fellow who asks you a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing. Russel Baker -- People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure. Alben W. Barkley -- A bureaucrat is a Democrat who holds some office that a Republican wants. Dave Barry -- The word aerobics comes from two Greek words: aero, meaning "ability to," and bics, meaning "withstand tremendous boredom." Caron de Beaumarchais -- It is not necesssary to understand things in order to argue about them. Ambrose Bierce -- Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others. Stephen Bishop -- I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here. Erma Bombeck -- One thing they never tell you about child raising is that for the rest of your life, at the drop of a hat, you are expected to know your child's name and how old he or she is. -- I do not participate in any sport with ambulances at the bottom of a hill. Ashleigh Brilliant -- Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your absence David Brinkley -- The one function that TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if it were. A. Whitney Brown -- I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants. Samuel Butler -- Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victems he intends to eat until he eats them. Frank Capra -- Automatic simply means that you can't repair it yourself. John Ciardi -- You don't have to suffer to be a poet; adolescence is enough suffering for anyone. John Cleese -- I find it rather easy to protray a businessman. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent comes naturally to me. Jean Cocteau -- I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you don't like? Andrei Codrescu -- Cookbooks bear the same relation to real books that microwave food bears to your grandmother's. Steven Coallier -- If we are the only intelligent life in the universe, at least there's a finite number of idiots. Noel Coward -- I don't believe in astrology. The only stars I can blame for my failures are those that walk about the stage. Quentin Crisp -- The trouble with children is that they are not returnable. Finley Peter Dunne -- An appeal is when you ask one court to show it's contempt for another court. J.W. Eagan -- Never judge a book by its movie. Abba Eban -- History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.

Sarcasm is a deformity that humor may develop if it doesn't guard itself.Everything has its limit and resorting to sarcasm in humor is crossing that limit. Witticism is a creation of a very alert and active mind which can immediately reproduce and recount an ordinary situation in an amazingly interesting and funny manner.

From my experience sarcasm is some one using supposed humor to hurt some one else.I believe that it is a cowardly action, If you do not like a person or something about them, what makes you believe that being sarcastic is the answer, it hurts no matter what, I prefer some one to come right out and say You are fat, rather than going MOOOO, as they walked by me.Also there is no way to deflect that sort of criticism, because it is out of no where and if you do you are accuse of not having a sense of humor or sensitive. You can not win when it comes to sarcasm. I admit I have used it and am not proud of it.

Yes, I tend to use sarcasm as a form of humor. I have to be careful though because it can hurt someone. So I only do it to people that I am close to, people I know will not get mad at me. We usually have a good laugh.

nope, not me, even that posting is VERY sad and extreamely offensive just say what you mean, none of that hidden stuff, or I will get angry at you

I frequently use sarcasm as humor, I can't help it. Things will just fly out of my mouth. But I also have a sense of when someone will be offended or not, and try and curb my tongue around those who will be. I don't get offended myself very easily, I take things as lightly as I can.

i think the biggest difference between sarcasm and humor is,sarcasm is used when you dont like a person,you say something opposite,humor is an ability of saying funny things and make your friends laugh,i never use sarcasm as humor,coz i know my intention,if i dislike a person,i use slight sarcasm,it happens that sometimes he didnt even notice,that made me a little annoyed,i want him to know that,if someone take my sarcasm as a sense of humor,i dont know if i have to cry or to laugh. when i was saying some joke,i always had smile,maybe laugh on my face,i laugh first when i was telling that joke,i think i am not good at humor,but my friends understand,maybe that's a kind of unspoken consensus.:)

Hello Bluewings! I must admit I have sometimes this kind of sarcastic humor. If I may say. But I choose the people I use this kind jokes with. I mean, I only do that to close friends, which I really really know. And more in a way of teasing with a little truth in it. And I also do take in consideration, the mood and present state of mind and situation of my friend. So I don't do that on persons I don't really know. I think it would be quite rude. Because to be sarcastic, for me, is also a way of assuming that what you are saying is a half joke and half truth. Am I right Bluewings or wrong, I got a little bit confused I think? (^^,LOL) But I don't use bad humor sarcasm, I'm more of the happy go lucky type of girl that love to make fun of my friends in a witty sort and good sarcastic humor. Well, I think I have said too much. (^^,LOL) Have a nice day! And hmmmh still perfect ha! Just kidding ha! Keep up the good works! (^^,)

Yes,i think is a form of humor,but if is good or bad you tell me after my question: can you suggest me an post idea about cowards friends?...ah,yes,i can read your message off line,of course. now you tell me,was my sarcasm a good form of humor? augusta

firstly, this is an interesting post bluewings, much appreciated. i feel, sarcasm is a low form of humour , wit being the highest. sarcasm aims at belittling or hurt someone, and to laugh at their expense, its kind of "cutting". don't you feel its scornful and taunting most of the times? on the contrary, true wit associates with fun and cheerfulness and boosts everyone's spirits, being aimed at an action, a happening or an attitude. i will always advocate wit as the highest form of humor, pun marginally behind it. i feel, humor is instinctive and witty ppl are born with it. and guess what, every attempt of mine to cut one ends up in disaster. i can manage puns, very seldom though and my experience with this has been very sad and that is how i came to know that it cannot be cultivated atall! dear, i have found you exhibiting a lot of wit and lemme admit that i do struggle for repartees always. your posts make me pine for second.....how about this pun??

I have an experience with sarsastic people who thought they are making humor out of it. They make sarcastic jokes every day-in=day-out, until one day I decided to return their sarcastic joke to them. What was the surprising thing is, they couldn't accept my joke as what they had joked sarcastically about me. So I asked them, hey... you have been doing this to me for the whole century and I am never angry at you, even though you have hurt my feelings all this while. After that, both of them realized that they are actually making stupid jokes that only sound funny to themselves. This is a type of bullism, isn't it? When realizing that it won't sound funny if it hit their own nose, they stopped their stupid jokes and started to respect me and everybody else around them.

Sarcasm is fine as long as it doesnt hurt anyone. Theres nothing like a well times sarcastic remark. I tend to use it a lot but I also use it to make fun of myself so I dont think theres anything wrong with it. You have to think fast to come up with a good sarcastic remark and I admire that. My brothers really good at it and often leaves me rolling on the floor laughing with his remarks but not everyone gets it unfortunately. Ive had some funny situations where the person took my sarcastic remarks literally and that takes all the joy out of making those remarks. So if you want to stop someone from making sarcastic remarks just play dumb and take everything they say as a compliment and keep thanking them. Believe me that stops them.

I think sarcasm can be humorous. I can be sarcastic at times-and I don't mean to be offensive. I am not offended by it either-unless I know for a fact that it was intended to hurt me.

I LOVE sarcasm. I use it all the time but only to people who know my humor because it can be taken the wrong way. But over all it just comes naturally to me and I find it funny in other people as well. I can't think of many people that I like that don't use sarcasm.

I think sarcasm is a good form of humor is some situations. You have to be able to read the people you are trying to be humorous with. I have some friends that when I make a sarcastic remark, come back with some witty retort of their own. I also have friends that get offended. As long as you know the people you are trying to be humorous with will get it, I think it is a good form of humor.