By the way, empirical observation supports that sociologically sarcasm and irony are key parts of British cultural humour dating back well over a thousand years.

Interesting, I'm writing a short report on this, so I'll let you know what I find out next week. And in advance, thank you for the extra source material.

I agree with everything in your post.

I abhor sarcasm with ONE exception -- when one is OBVIOUSLY, gleefully, and lovingly playing with another.

Besides that, to me, it is a destroyer of good will, good feelings, and trust.

I think sarcasm is thinly disguised meanness. I've never enjoyed being around people that can only communicate in put-downs.

Sarcasm is basically ridicule.That it's so-the-thing-to-be these days should explain some of the polarization problem we have...

I’ve read a number of female profiles who admit to same. I figure they’re just being up front with it, hoping to meet a male of similar persuasion (and therefore - mutual appreciation)...

Life without sarcasm is not worth living.

Depends on the sarcasm.

Never about personal appearance or intelligence or the things that you know will cut someone down. (There are exceptions see example)

My entire family is wonderfully sarcastic. It is a holdover from our European heritage (we think).
You have to really know each other well and each other's knowledge base to really send out a great line.

Example -
My sister tells the story of how she fell down some stairs on her rear end while pregnant with my last nephew.

His brother pipes up "Well that explains it!" ( he and his sister are very tall his youngest brother isn't).

A few beats later the youngest brother says "He's not wrong." .

The entire table of family just loses it.

Too much sarcasm can be a turn-off.

I have to admit I do laugh at it quite often. I can be guilty of it at times, but I have boundaries.

Sarcasm can be funny, or it can be hurtful....so one must take care when applying it. My ex was raised on hurtful sarcasm, so he uses it out of habit. Unfortunately, he does not seem to able to realize when he should stop.

My alcoholic, brilliant and funny father constantly put me down with hurtful, sarcastic jabs. Nothing I did was ever good enough for him.

Had years of therapy to heal from feeling inferior and being a people-pleaser. Learned to have healthy boundaries with people.

As a result, I deliberately raised my daughter differently.

It's because a third of the women's profiles say they are also sarcastic or say they like sarcasm. In fact, I would argue that most men who say that aren't actually sarcastic but say they are because they see it so many times elsewhere, and if they actually are sarcastic then they probably know they can't say anything sarcastic on the internet because it doesn't work without voice inflection.

I see this on some women's profiles, so it's not strictly men. Maybe mostly though. I don't remember the source bit I did recently read that couples that tease each other tend to be happier. However, teasing doesn't necessarily mean mean and sarcasm often is mean.

It's how we bond , it's not really meant for flirting . Lots of men don't realise that its meant as a comraderie thing . As this is the only form of positive nteractions they have had they think it can also be used on women not realising women are a completely different species and need a different form of communication ......generalising of course but those women who say they get it alswas seem to fall short

i think sarcasm can be a sign of insecurity and is best used between people who know each other well enough to get it. having said that, not getting it doesn't mean someone doesn't have a sense of humor.

I hate "meathead" humor. Despise it.

And why is it assumed that sarcasm only occurs in young men ?

I see it as an equal opportunity trait.

"I am fluent in sarcasm" is on many, many woman's dating profiles. Only after sampling both should one assume or assert that this is a male trait. It certainly is not.

I would only use sarcasm if being personally attacked or in reply to some particularly stupid comment. I think mild sarcasm or irony is ok though if used judiciously.

I love sarcasm. It comes to me so naturally. There are women on this site who use sarcasm ( Ursi, Mary, Gator, Pralina ), I am sorry if I missed someone, and I find them funny and insightful. A lot of people thought Bob Hope was funny. I was not one of those people. To each his or her own.

WOW..loved all the points on here about the sarcasm,,It has given me a whole new prospective on it and what i should not be doing ,Thank you

Depends on how well the humor is wielded. Carlin used sarcasm like a master swordsman while Trump's attempts to use it land like a cow dropping a turd. Sarcasm is a perfectly legitimate form of communication when handled effectively. In the wrong hands, it can come off as insecure and juvenile.

Case in point, I got through this whole reply without a trace of sarcasm because these aren't the appropriate circumstances for it even though I use it frequently.

So, no, it's not inherently bad as Clifford N. Lazarus PhD might have you think.

As a straight man I am not seeing men's dating profiles. When I say I like sarcastic humor I have in my mind something along the lines of a Steven Colbert (or Bill Maher, or John Oliver) monologue where they verbally dismember Donald Trump. Its thoroughly enjoyable and appropriate.

I would have thought the other way around. All the sarcastic people I know are women. My sister being the most sarcastic person I know, and she absolutely loves it! I think this is a logical falacy, like "It's snowing outside, so global warming isn't real".

I think it's because they see it as a sign of intelligence. And while it may take a certain level of intelligence to "get" it, it's really just exhausting if that's all you can do.