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Really, I'm curious...because it is not in me to do...not since I fell into a crowd
that seemed to do it when I was 19.
I can't remember the feeling...I think I thought I was clever and cute...funny.
But it was always at someone else's expense....I caught on pretty fast.
I think a lot of people here are 30~60 from comments I've read, not teenagers.
What compels you to mock someone and make fun of them?
I personally am not bothered, how could I be?
I look at the source...an insensitive, unkind individual...unaware of their own
actions, thinking only of themselves, their opinions and status in the eyes of
others like themselves, insecure so feels better then somone when able
to embarrass them publicly...did I get that about right?
Teasing with family and friends can be ok, of course....online it can hurt people.
(Not me)....but others have real problems and get devasted by the mocking and
put downs...I and Dr. John Bradshaw, call it what it is out and out shaming.
Comments....meanness that wants to now be expressed towards me?
It is a curious phenomenon to walk thru life being asleep, while hurting others.
It feels tempting...like wanting to touch all the shiny objects at an art gallery. Then I feel guilty and delete the comment. This view has evolved over time, and the recognizing that there is no shortage of people making statements that are based off venting and rooting for their team, and insisting they are right without explaining why. I try to limit my comments to ones that can provide information that is of assistance now.
General rule of thumb: If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
And the Internet is a great, big kitchen.
P.S. Come over to Relationships, where you will see that most of the people who get zinged deserve it.
I get zinged. I think most of those zingers and zinged alike are bat sh*t crazy. (That's my new favorite phrase. It's an exaggeration. I just like typing bat sh*t crazy).
There are crazy people...and there are people who think they can read minds, and know without question that everyone whose habits are even slightly unusual has three people trapped in their basement, that they are waiting to "ripen" so their skin can be made into clothing. Those two groups seem to be the majority.
Not starting a thread titled "f*ck you! everyone on the intimate relationships forum" requires immense effort. I don't go there anymore. I'm scared.
I do it to feel better when I'm with my good friends usually in retaliation to those that make fun of me.
For instance, this girl always called me fat (when I wasn't) and I made fun of her for having the body of a 12 year-old. Or when she called me an Oreo (black on the outside, white on the inside). I just made fun of the lbs. of fake hair sewn onto her head.
What really annoys me is people who just don't "get" sarcasm, or satire in general.
For example I have a thread in the TV forum about "everything I know about Canadians I learned from HGTV" that's totally tongue-in-cheek. I even went out of my way, for the "limited" folks out there, to explain that this is "just for fun" and that of course it's just a generalization of the stereotypes of Canadians I get from HGTV shows.
But, as predicted, someone jumped in to tell me that Canada is a beautiful country and Canadians are wonderful people and I really must visit there before making such judgments.
I'm caught between beating my own head with my shoe, making a snarky comment toward the poster, or just pouring more wine. I'm probably go with option 3.
With some people, you have to type "lol" and add emoticons every few words, to remind then when you're joking. Now that I think about it, I think I had a thread in this forum recently about people not getting sarcasm or maybe it was wry humor. I'm sure I was probably blasted there for being nasty.
I don't use sarcasm because I'm not clever or fast enough enough to be snarky. It's one of my favorite traits in other people, though, because I find snark, a snappy retort, and good-humored cattiness hilarious.
You can't be too sensitive in this world, and it's always good to not take yourself so seriously that you're hurt by every comment that aims to detract from your ego. Do your thing, and accept that everyone isn't going to pat you on the back and tell you how wonderful you are for it.
ETA: I also wanted to say that I totally agree with TracySam. There's a major difference between sarcasm and mocking others/insulting others.
I don't use sarcasm because I'm not clever or fast enough enough to be snarky. It's one of my favorite traits in other people, though, because I find snark, a snappy retort, and good-humored cattiness hilarious.
You can't be too sensitive in this world, and it's always good to not take yourself so seriously that you're hurt by every comment that aims to detract from your ego. Do your thing, and accept that everyone isn't going to pat you on the back and tell you how wonderful you are for it.
ETA: I also wanted to say that I totally agree with TracySam. There's a major difference between sarcasm and mocking others/insulting others.
I agree with every word in this post. I have sibs, children, nieces and nephews who are so clever with remarks, they keep me ROTFLOL.....there have been a few times they got carried away but not too often. I am not fast thinking enough to join in this kind of repartee. But, I can't stand to hurt or see anyone hurt intentionally.
I love using proper sarcasm and/or deadpan humor. But you have to know how to do it. I never act in such as way as to put people down or make them feel belittled or not smart enough to "get it". Ever. Even if they have it coming.
This is probably one of the reasons I seem to be so well-tolerated no matter where I go.
I disagree. Sarcasm and "snark" take a degree of intelligence, creativity, and quickness of mind. Nothing lazy or unbrainy-like about it.
To me "lazy" humor is scatological humor--fart jokes, etc. and humor that relies on profanity. Those are just too easy and take no real thought at all.
But if sarcasm and snark go over the heads of many, that's a piece of evidence right there that brains are involved.
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