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July 22, 2022
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Jerry Lewis? That's your cultural reference point for American strength? Yikes. Slapstick, like many American things, originated in England...

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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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July 22, 2022
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They aren't the same thing, sarcasm is a subset of irony.

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

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July 22, 2022Edited
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The literal definition of sarcasm: "the use of irony to mock or convey contempt."

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I, too, am pedantic...

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July 22, 2022
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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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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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July 22, 2022Edited
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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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See also: Australia.

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Ratio.

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

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July 22, 2022
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I guess they didn’t want to be teachers.

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