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Jul 22, 2022
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Boz's avatar

Jerry Lewis? That's your cultural reference point for American strength? Yikes. Slapstick, like many American things, originated in England...

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Dekka's avatar

Oh indeed :-) But the forking of the American psyche from the British was much earlier than Australian and Canadian upstarts. And The Brits certainly changed after the Americans went their way in that large continent.

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Jul 22, 2022
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Boz's avatar

They aren't the same thing, sarcasm is a subset of irony.

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Dekka's avatar

And sarcasm is only very funny if it’s very clever.

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Jul 22, 2022Edited
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Boz's avatar

The literal definition of sarcasm: "the use of irony to mock or convey contempt."

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Boz's avatar

I, too, am pedantic...

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Jul 22, 2022
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Boz's avatar

I don't think that's right, I think I'm reasonably critical of a broad range of uses for it though I'll admit to only ever having mastered the most juvenile myself.

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puiz's avatar

Your main point seems to be about the way it can be used to imply some sort of undefined discontent. Trust me: it can also be razor-sharp.

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Jul 22, 2022Edited
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Boz's avatar

We mostly agree! This is a particularly American perspective and certainly the famed stiff upper lip of the Brits comes a little more easily with such an outlet. Making one another feel better is certainly value of a kind, but I think also leads to a kind of collective nihilism over time.

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Marc Bailey's avatar

See also: Australia.

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Mike D's avatar

Ratio.

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Boz's avatar

This isn't twitter, lol, I'm glad to have comments at all!

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Jul 22, 2022
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Dekka's avatar

I guess they didn’t want to be teachers.

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