of humor, particularly sarcasm. Not sure if this would go under philosophy, bet we can discuss this here.
Well I do believe sarcasm requires some display of higher brain functionality, because people that struggle with theory of mind do struggle with sarcasm (both interpreting and using it), but what is is and where does it come from. Well commonly sarcasm is the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
I also believe actions strongly determine thoughts and feelings. Repetitively doing something does more to solidify future behaviors like training yourself out of bad habits. I also believe in confirmation bias in that we see what we want to see, and that emotions (or emotionally charged issues) or deeply held beliefs increase the potency of the effect.
Humor has several theories as to it's purpose and origins:
There's the superiority theory: laughter devalues an object in it's subjects eyes, usually only solid when there are 2 sides/audience. Slapstick or laughing at yourself doing something stupid aren't really part of the theory.
There's the relief theory: personal pressure relief like the mechanical valve. Herbert Spencer posits "Feeling passing a certain pitch habitually vents itself in bodily action . When we are angry, for example, nervous energy produces small aggressive movements such as clenching our fists; and if the energy reaches a certain level, we attack the offending person.
Another common one is incongruity theory: It is the perception of something incongruous, or more succienctly when our expectations don't match our experience.
That being said let's posit some other traits of sarcasm:
-Since the definition is to mock or convey negative emotions, isn't that a type of bullying? Was anybody ever mocked in school?
-OK let's say it's intent isn't to get a better position on your opponent or for your side let's say it's just for SaG. If it is a release of nervous energy or an incongruity with your expectations, then some belief has caused enough cognitive dissonance in you to react
-In starting off multiple conversations with sarcasm for instance, that shows that you have a metric shit ton of discomfort at the subject and are either deflecting or positioning.
-The act of repeated sarcasm actually amplifies and solidifies future behaviors like you're trying to convince yourself out of a belief, I believe the phrase is "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"
Well I do believe sarcasm requires some display of higher brain functionality, because people that struggle with theory of mind do struggle with sarcasm (both interpreting and using it), but what is is and where does it come from. Well commonly sarcasm is the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
I also believe actions strongly determine thoughts and feelings. Repetitively doing something does more to solidify future behaviors like training yourself out of bad habits. I also believe in confirmation bias in that we see what we want to see, and that emotions (or emotionally charged issues) or deeply held beliefs increase the potency of the effect.
Humor has several theories as to it's purpose and origins:
There's the superiority theory: laughter devalues an object in it's subjects eyes, usually only solid when there are 2 sides/audience. Slapstick or laughing at yourself doing something stupid aren't really part of the theory.
There's the relief theory: personal pressure relief like the mechanical valve. Herbert Spencer posits "Feeling passing a certain pitch habitually vents itself in bodily action . When we are angry, for example, nervous energy produces small aggressive movements such as clenching our fists; and if the energy reaches a certain level, we attack the offending person.
Another common one is incongruity theory: It is the perception of something incongruous, or more succienctly when our expectations don't match our experience.
That being said let's posit some other traits of sarcasm:
-Since the definition is to mock or convey negative emotions, isn't that a type of bullying? Was anybody ever mocked in school?
-OK let's say it's intent isn't to get a better position on your opponent or for your side let's say it's just for SaG. If it is a release of nervous energy or an incongruity with your expectations, then some belief has caused enough cognitive dissonance in you to react
-In starting off multiple conversations with sarcasm for instance, that shows that you have a metric shit ton of discomfort at the subject and are either deflecting or positioning.
-The act of repeated sarcasm actually amplifies and solidifies future behaviors like you're trying to convince yourself out of a belief, I believe the phrase is "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"
"There ought to be a term that would designate those who actually follow the teachings of Jesus, since the word 'Christian' has been largely divorced from those teachings, and so polluted by fundamentalists that it has come to connote their polar opposite: intolerance, vindictive hatred, and bigotry." -- Philip Stater, Huffington Post
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
![[Image: sarcasm.gif]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=ibiblio.org%2Fpha%2FRationalia%2520Smiley%2520Repository._files%2Fsarcasm.gif)
(Animated at the source.)
