Ouch! Did you feel that?

Twitter is  dubbed ‘not for the faint of heart’ and for good reason. There is always someone that can turn your best picture or tweet to an object of amusement or ridicule depending on how you are ‘served’. It can be hard to scroll threads and not laugh at someone else’s ill luck while hoping not to taste the same.

 

 

In many groups or cliques, there is that one person you watch out for because of how he or she can so easily and quickly ‘dish it out’, making it seem almost automatic.

 

 

Sarcasm can be simply understood as use of irony accompanied by suitable tones and facial expressions, to humorously mock someone. ‘Savaging’ on the other hand is usually more direct but still generates quite the reaction (it is actually on a whole other level). A simple example

'Oh, you're awake?'

"No oh, we are dreaming together"

 

 

Facts about sarcasm

 

Sarcastic people are actually very intelligent

Huh?

Yes. Sarcasm (and savaging) requires thinking. Giving an answer that has a double meaning and in the same time it would take for a normal answer, is no easily explainable feat. Simply put, it requires really fast thinking.

‘Savagers’ notice the simplest things-in speech, conduct et cetera- and point them out in very humorous ways. 

This is no personal thought, science is behind the fact that sarcastic people are actually very intelligent and calculative.

 

 

Sarcasm can be linked to creativity

This applies both to the recipient and the practiser. Using sarcasm and being able to detect sarcasm has been shown to not only indicate but also enhance levels of creativity. The ability to think outside the box is stimulated with exposure to sarcasm. Much so that healthy sarcasm is encouraged in workplaces to boost mental productivity.

 

 

Sarcastic people are risk-takers

People who employ the tool of sarcasm and do it frequently, are risk-takers. Sarcasm can be easily misunderstood and there is a fine line separating it receiving a ‘haha... smooth one’ from it getting annoyed or angry responses. It requires a balance in the appropriate tone and expression, as lack of any can deliver the wrong message.

 

 

Downsides of sarcasm

 

You could get carried away

There are periods when people are in no mood for sarcasm or snarky comments. It helps to be sensitive to mood changes and adapt accordingly. Don’t be that person that decides to prove their ‘savage emperor’ or ‘sarcasm lord’ title irrespective of the situation. The phrase ‘my sense of humour could hurt your feelings’ is a catchy reinterpretation of ‘ I can be a jerk’.

Know when to stop.

 

 

It can be easily misinterpreted

Especially when it is over texts, chats or emails and not face to face. Sarcasm is double-edged and the mean part can easily be all that is interpreted by the recipient. It is best to use it on people you know well and not to use it at all if you’re unsure that it will be healthily received.

 

Sarcasm and savaging are an essential part of our modern life and society. It could even qualify as a new means of communication. Good or bad as with almost every other thing, depends on how they’re used.

 

Inability to detect sarcasm needs getting checked. As funny as that may sound, it could be a sign of brain disease or other issues.

 

So can you detect sarcasm? Do you personally like using it? Are there times when you don’t like it being used with you? Are you a savage?

 

Comment.