Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Prefect
I think using a coloured font for sarcasm serves a purpose, and isn't "gay" therefore. I read an article once that said some people's brains aren't wired to recognize sarcasm, so for the sarcasm challenged using an identifying font colour serves a purpose by stifling misinterpretation and preventing needless hard feelings and flame wars. One of my lifelong buddies is like that. I've always had to identify statements that were meant as sarcastic jokes because he just doesn't get the sarcasm bit. He's an extremely bright guy, but he's extremely literal and logical in his thought processes so he just doesn't pick up on sarcasm.
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But doesn't that defeat the purpose of sarcasm? Personally I hate the green font as a shorthand for sarcasm and will never use it. It's like a comedian saying, 'Here's a sarcastic observation: nice weather we're having.' Now, I understand that there's a recognised cognitive condition of being unable to recognize sarcasm, and some people (myself included) just have moments of dimness, but isn't that part of the satisfaction? Your mind gets pleasure from the fact that it could have been caught in the ironic statement, but wasn't.