Sarcastic posts just as bad as ones that cause flames.

I am a very very new member here, however I recently read that post about people saying things to cause sparks and useing broken logic on purpose and other fallacies.

However I have noticed another negative thing that I thought maby I could bring to attention, and that is sarcastic replies. I don't know why but on almost every thread I've read someone says something stupid and sarcastic in the attempt of being funny. And after one person does it usually there are about four more. I just have no idea why.

So... my request is to please think before you post, always ask yourself if what you are posting is contributing something to the forum, and if you do simply have to post something sarcastic my request is to also write something of signifigance below it.

While I agree that an entire post that is wasted on cruel sarcastic remarks is quite annoying....The frequent use of sarcasm is still something we should all learn to enjoy....

There's no reason to turn down the opportunity of using a wry comment for the sake of humor if you know it can be appreciated and enjoyed by others....It's almost a social indicator of sorts, that lets others know you don't take life so seriously that you've lost all sense of what truly matters in life....

Sarcasm can be used as a joking way to let people know you don't agree....and what better way to convey that than with a laugh, rather than a flame? Just so long as you don't go to far over the edge with your humor

I still think it would be nice to have some kind of sarcasm BBC tag here at ATS (ie…[sarcasm]blah blah[/sarcasm]), so people don't always take sarcasm so seriously....

[edit on 3/18/2005 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

I'm not being sacrastic! That just IS my personallity.

Right yeah, I do enjoy sarcasm in some cases. It's just meaningless posts like "I agree" or "Gosh what a great post!" and the classic "You are so cool", Bother me. I suppose its just something I'll have to live with though, the internet being what it is.

Originally posted by cownosecat
Right yeah, I do enjoy sarcasm in some cases. It's just meaningless posts like "I agree" or "Gosh what a great post!" and the classic "You are so cool", Bother me. I suppose its just something I'll have to live with though, the internet being what it is.

Posts, such as the ones you mentioned, are not allowed and the poster should be getting warnings. These things do sometimes fall between the cracks due to the shear volume of them. However, if what you are proposing is for the posters themselves to stop posting in the way that they do just because you ask them too, it will not happen. Sorry.

I'm confused. "I agree" doesn't seem like a sarcastic reply to me. (sc ratching head) rut roh...a one lineri might get a warning now. (now that could be sarcasm)

Originally posted by cownosecat
Right yeah, I do enjoy sarcasm in some cases. It's just meaningless posts like "I agree" or "Gosh what a great post!" and the classic "You are so cool", Bother me. I suppose its just something I'll have to live with though, the internet being what it is.

this thread is about sarcasm. are you being sarcastic in this post?
i'm personally really sick of everyone trying to turn us into one person with one set of thoughts.
sarcasm is great, and if you remove satire and sarcasm from the menu, the fair is bland, at best. really.

Cownosecat does raise a very important point which I hope is not falling on deaf ears for the simple fact that because of the size of ATS, the common remark would be to say "it will never happen."

Over the past few weeks I (as in personally) have been receiving a huge increase in complaints from users who have had valid posts thrown down because of sarcastic responses which in turn has causes the topic to become an argument rather than an enjoyable debate or conversation.

Sarcasm should not be used for the sheer reason of making your mark in that post. Alot of people including myself do not like people disrupting a conversation because they feel some sort of comedy/antagonist element should be introduced. I wouldn't stand for it, and will aid those who bring this to my attention if it is causing degredation in a thread.

For the record, sarcastic posts can be just as bad as flames.

A good example of sarcasm from my own words: Here

The problem is that you are still attacking a definition, and not the observable fact. Why don't you attack friction....it's just as magical as gravity....or maybe you have more experience with gravity than friction?

My interaction with the person who started the thread garnered me an argument in the U2U thingy....didn't help that I didn't recognise who it was at first. Hopefully we've got that under control and won't be randomly hostile towards each other, but I still don't know how that's going to go.

My point for bringing this up: Threads that contain what the majority of the active group on this site thinks of as an insane idea...such as arguing over whether gravity exists and the shape of the earth....they are going to garner soooo many sarcastic comments that, in all honesty, the one who brings up the idea better expect some snide comments, and learn to take them in stride...as well as others think about how asenine their comments actually are.

If this keeps up, this will be a stuffy old place, with nothing but serious pompous answers and a place to avoid if you want to kick back your heels and enjoy a little reading.

IMHO, you're making it unconfortable here if you have to watch out that you do not post sarcasm, or what someones percieved sarcasm is.

This life is rough. The world's in rough shape. I think we should be able to put up with a little harmless sarcasm and be ok.

Originally posted by dgtempe
If this keeps up, this will be a stuffy old place, with nothing but serious pompous answers and a place to avoid if you want to kick back your heels and enjoy a little reading.

So first we can't be a political partisan, now we can't be sarcastic? I think dgtempe is right...wow, two times in as many days I agree with dgtempe! Maybe I should go see a doctor.

See? I love Djohn for who he is. I'm not offended, this is what communication and back and forth rapor is. We've had many disagreements and there are those times when we do see eye to eye.
Its all good.

We need sarcasm badly here. It's entertaining and annoying to get sarcastic remarks.

Oh, oh, I'm being sarcastic. Excuse me!

Jeez, people. Get. over. it. People are people. People do say things they like to say, no matter how it is sounded to you.

Originally posted by SimonGray
For the record, sarcastic posts can be just as bad as flames.

i believe it is the intent behind words which makes them either antagonistic or good natured. the problem i see is not so much sarcasm, as outright derision and beration(if that's a word).

when someone says something like, 'i would like to bomb the middle east into a sheet of glass, and kill all the brown babies', i like to be able to respond sarcastically, because it has more impact than answering literally.
the literal answer. 'that's not very nice. you're an evil racist'
the sarcastic. 'i elect you for the pulitzer peace prize'.

i don't think the sarcasm is offensive to anyone, in this case.

so, while i agree that sarcastic posts can be even MORE biting than flames, i think they can also be more poetic, interesting, and a gentler way to deal with overzealous, ....ummm, ....zealots.


really.

The times are boring now. Theres nothing interesting happening that will spark this board to life. THe election is over, the war is going well. Its just ho-hum filled days now. This leads to boredom, which is the devils playground.

Any time a new idea or video is released here, its instantly debunked, or some jerk from here says "Thats been done to death, look it up" which makes no sense, plus is rude. Who cares if its been done to death. Most of those posts are by new members who just want to post something.

I think if people just shut up and let the ideas flow, more would come of this place. What we dont need is constant critisicsm of posts, or people telling the newbies to "look it up, its been done to death".

When you have a board like this, inevitbly you will get new people that like to start trouble. However, you will also get people with new ideas or perspectives on things. You never know what they have to offer, untill you LISTEN to them. Not shut them down.

If the thread is a flame or spam thread, just delete it. Simple. Or, dont read it...not that hard of a concept. People, we aint gonna change the world here. We're just gonna talk about it. Geez! everyone, LIGHTEN UP!

Sarcasm. Tongue-in-cheek. Humor.

We have a lot of folks here who excel in these writing tools. These members are invaluable to ATS, IMHO.
It's not meant to be mean, just to make a point.
They shouldn't be censored.

Jumping into ATS takes a bit of courage and a bit of not being thin-skinned. Good luck, cownosecat, enjoy your journey on ATS.

I agree with billybob on this one. There is obviously nasty and derogatory sarcasm, and there is humorous sarcasm intended to lighten the mood and reduce the power of deliberately inflammatory posts. The two are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum, even though semantically they may seem the same.

Billybob's "Pulitzer Peace Prize" example above would be more accurately described as being facetious, or 'playfully jocular'. A response such as this in the face of racist, derogatory or inflammatory remarks/ideology shows enormous restraint and strength of character from the responder, who in this case should be lauded, not derided. Responses like these can take the sting out of an otherwise potentially hate-filled, argumentative thread.

However, sarcasm of a negative, intentionally hurtful shade is a different matter.

"Ok, who left the door open at the loony house?"

"Gee, aren't you the smart one? I mean...wow. Did it take you five minutes to come up with this ground-breaking theory, or six? Hmm? "

These kinds of comments are not constructive and are completely unnecessary, since they are obviously in response to non-inflammatory content that could just as easily be ignored. The responder is simply attempting to show that they are superior to the intended target of the comments.

I think it's pretty obvious to all who read a thread what is sarcasm and what is facetiousness (is that a word?). Calling for an eradication of both of these would be taking some of the spice out of the great ATS stew. Calling for a much less tolerant attitude to the former, I completely agree with.

I think two things dealing in this area.. 1) other members have the right to express their views and 2) other members have a right to questions yours or mine. Reeally don't think that would add up to a flame, but sometimes a flame will happen, I think usually 'cause one person wants the last word..so the seemingly deabte turns into an argument..

Dallas

Sarcasm is typically part of daily "offline" conversations. In the "offline" world it is much easier to recognize it. Here, and for that matter, any other forum, sarcasm is much harder to detect. Given the large diversity of personalities here, some may react to your sarcasm differently then others.

I would not ban sarcasm, as what would I say if it were. But there are ways for the author to help identify his sarcasm for the reader. Like the little LOL emoticon I just used.

Sarcasm can detract from a thread, as cownosecat stated. But if the author will use sarcasm to lighten the mood, and then address the post honestly and directly, it can help lighten what may be becoming a "tense" thread.

I guess all I would suggest is don't take yourself to serious, and don't take the words of others seriously either. No need developing an ulcer because someone thinks "your a real genius"

Argh, this is nothing but a thought police thread!

Please stop discussing about what people should say and shouldn't say here or anywhere!

If you can't take sarcasm, I wonder how in the world you manage to get by life's hard knocks throwing at you?!