What is the intent of that comment?
Sarcasm has an underlying tone that implies bitterness,
condemnation, judgment and superiority.
Yes, George Carlin and Billy Connolly et al are funny. Yes, they have meaningful messages.
Their way of grabbing our attention is magnificent and they
are incredibly brave to deliver these messages that make us think. I do not deny that I may have needed that
jolt.
On the whole, I find sarcasm hurtful to my feelings. I was okay falling into the “dingbat” role in
order for someone to deliver a funny line at my behalf but I’m not okay with it
anymore.
What’s the other side of my feelings around sarcasm?
Well, I’ll tell you…
I am sarcastic. Or, I
have a sarcastic side to myself. When I
hear someone using sarcasm as a way to feel more intelligent or rather less
dumb than someone else, I cringe. I
cringe because I have used sarcasm to mask my own sensitive feelings, to mock
myself (or others) and/or to make myself (or others) feel inadequate in some way.
Now that my perspective of life appears to me in a mirror
like fashion, when I hear sarcasm I realize it is myself reflecting back to me
something I have previously been intolerant of within my own personality.
Yah, it’s surreal.
My intent moving forward is to find graceful, gentle and
elegant ways to communicate. In lieu of
that daunting task, maybe I’ll just try to remember that silence is golden.
