Comments on I'M ALWAYS IRONING AND I NEVER USE IRONY

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Mayb
I forgot what writer it was that warned of the dangers of using sarcasm and irony. He explained that despite your best wishes, only one-fourth of your readers will "catch it". Interesting entry, May.

posted by Joe_Love on November 3, 2005 at 9:29 PM | link to this | reply

Ca88andra, I suppose you could plant a window box and then you could garden in an ironic kind of way

posted by Azur on October 31, 2005 at 3:59 PM | link to this | reply

CarolynMoe, I do often laugh at you because you're funny

posted by Azur on October 31, 2005 at 3:59 PM | link to this | reply

Katray, I love having the former and sometimes I indulge in the latter. There is something about crisply ironed clothes - something I rarely have

posted by Azur on October 31, 2005 at 3:58 PM | link to this | reply

I love ironing and irony

Actually, I enjoy the appearance of crisp, unwrinkled clothing and reading ironic work. Not motivated enough or very effective at doing either. Maybe I'm just lazy.;)

Very interesting, thought provoking post May.

posted by Katray2 on October 30, 2005 at 12:28 PM | link to this | reply

I don't think I can force irony... I just see it when it's there... and usually the joke's on me... they're all laughing at me MayB, all of them... LAUGHING!!!...

posted by cmoe on October 30, 2005 at 6:28 AM | link to this | reply

Ironing is my least favourite activity next to gardening. But irony can be fun!

posted by Ca88andra on October 29, 2005 at 7:22 PM | link to this | reply

Some sarcasm and irony are shibbolethic

"As IF!".

"Get a life!"

"Gag me!"

Just as my complaining about taking too many of coworkers' personal calls for them by saying "I'm changing my name to 'Hello, Central' ", in another twenty years or less these sayings will lose their meaning and their cachet.

If we're lucky.

posted by majroj on October 29, 2005 at 6:31 PM | link to this | reply

JohnMcNab, I think that irony is often likened to sarcasm but really it is a way of coping with the shit thrown at us in life. If you can't send it up then it is depressing

posted by Azur on October 29, 2005 at 4:08 PM | link to this | reply

MayB
Irony was a way of life in Scotland, MayB.  Over here I have to be careful as I am usually taken literally.

posted by johnmacnab on October 29, 2005 at 3:42 PM | link to this | reply

I only use irony...
or rather sarcasm when i am confronted by assholes...this is the only way to make them understand i don't like them at all haha

posted by Marshallengraved on October 29, 2005 at 12:00 PM | link to this | reply

I remember a few years back the critics coming forth and saying Alanis
Morisette's song Ironic wasn't truly about things that were ironic.  I got a kick out of reading the editorials about it.

posted by Ariala on October 29, 2005 at 9:12 AM | link to this | reply

Great post!
Now I'm trying to think if I'm using it enough..or at all!  Thanks for making me think more deeply!

posted by ginnieb on October 29, 2005 at 9:03 AM | link to this | reply

MayB, My father was a master at irony.  I cut my teeth on it.  The ironic thing was that my sweet, trusting mom, though highly intelligent was not attuned to irony.  It was usually wasted on her.  They were quite a couple.

posted by TAPS. on October 29, 2005 at 8:56 AM | link to this | reply

if it weren't for irony
i'd just end up being sardonic. or sarcastic, which isn't "nice." I grew up in a family who thought and felt more Irish than anything else in their heritage, and irony is a big slice of the Irish pie. We used backhanded compliments, irony and laughing at the troubles as a survival technique. and this, like being confused or angry or suspicious or happy crazy is a trait we pass on to our children. Ironically, the more we try not to, the worse it gets. thanks for this post... Good luck with the novel!!! 

posted by Pat_B on October 29, 2005 at 8:22 AM | link to this | reply

Irony
MayB, I would daresay that life itself is irony. The things I post I invariably create for myself througout the day. It's amazing how well it functions.

posted by avant-garde on October 29, 2005 at 6:39 AM | link to this | reply