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Why do young guys think sarcasm is positive?

I noticed this trend in the Plenty of Fish dating website Profile Review forum, with young guys who ask for help because they get no replies to their messages.

Over 90 percent of these dateless guys called themselves "sarcastic."

Sarcasm is defined as:

  1. Harsh or bitter derision or irony;
  2. A sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remarks;
  3. Bitterness, ridicule and jeer. (Dictionary.com)

“Sarcasm is really just hostility disguised as humor,” said Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.

“If you want to be happier and improve your relationships, cut out sarcasm since sarcasm is actually hostility disguised as humor. Despite smiling outwardly, most people who receive sarcastic comments feel put down and usually think the sarcastic person is a jerk.”

(“Think Sarcasm is Funny? Think Again.” by Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D., Think Well, June 26, 2012.)

"Perhaps young men aspire to be like “the meathead clowns floating through the films of today,” said Linda Holmes in “Bad News, Men: You’re Not Very Charming” in The Atlantic on May 28, 2013.

Why do young men think sarcastic humor is positive? Your thoughts?

LiterateHiker 9 Sep 20
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79 comments (76 - 79)

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first of all, the sarcasm i have seen here and elsewhere is by no means limited to, or even mostly from, young men, or men, or the young. second of all, a lot of what passes for sarcasm is only snarkiness. so we have not actually correctly defined sarcasm (two of the three definitions are not even sourced). and third of all, while sarcasm isn't called for as often as it is delivered, sometimes it is called for. for the record, i think lazarus is wrong, especially since he appears to assume that all sarcasm is delivered to its object. sarcasm is often (i have not done a poll so i shall not pretend to know HOW often) delivered to someone who agrees with it, and its object is a third party, generally not present. for example, i might say to my guy, "oh yes, trump is doing SUCH a great job." it will be my tone, not the words, that render this sarcastic. trump can't hear me (as if i would spare his tender feelings if he could -- yes, this parenthetical phrase is sarcastic).

so to ask why young men think sarcastic humor is positive you must assume that young men think sarcastic humor is positive. you back up your assumption, but the quotations from your backup do not do the trick, because lazarus makes assumptions of his own, and the quotation from holmes doesn't specify sarcasm as the reason she thinks young men are not very charming. since i dispute those claims, and do not agree with the premise, i can't answer "why" except as above.

g

I can't hit the like button on this browser so I will just say Thumbs Up lol

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They are immature and they think it's funny they also think that poop is funny you got to consider the source

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I don't quite get it--is it their messages that are sarcastic or their questions on the help forum?

@memorylikeasieve

Love your funny username! Good question.

In the Plenty of Fish Profile Review forum, young men complain about never getting any replies to their messages.

I noticed the vast majority of these dateless, young guys called themselves sarcastic in their profiles.

@LiterateHiker ahah. They're probably trying to head off accusations of being an asshole or a PUA, or think it's an automatic pass for sexist/racist/etc comments. They really don't know what sarcasm means.

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