Comments on: How to Eliminate Sarcasm

By: Dawna

Dawna — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 19:14:12 +0000

I prayed for wisdom and found this article. Thank you! 🙂

By: 10 Business Collaboration Success Tips | Samepage Blog

10 Business Collaboration Success Tips | Samepage Blog — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 07:53:22 +0000

[…] 6. Turn off your sarcasm channel […]

By: Julie De

Julie De — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:59:31 +0000

The thing with sarcasm is it goes hand-in-hand with the “boy that cried wolf” story. When people use sarcasm in almost everything they say, it becomes difficult to believe when they are serious and telling the truth.
After reading Kerry’s sarcasm story, I made a copy and brought it home to share with my husband. Knowing he would not sit and read the entire article, I highlighted some of the key words and gave him a cliff notes version. Basically, I explained how hurtful his comments can be.
I have to say that he has done alot better. We are alwasy looking to increase our communication skills and this helped. Thanks Kerry!

By: Lucie

Lucie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:16:24 +0000

Was in a relationship for 5 years full of sarcastic thoughts. My partner was constantly mad at me, beacause I didn’t think he was funny. Yeah, I did not, he was hurtful. Sarcasm hurts, is abusive and should be eliminated from our brains. For sure isn’t funny.

By: Alex Forrest

Alex Forrest — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:53:28 +0000

But why?

By: Joe Queen

Joe Queen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:23:48 +0000

Kerry,

Another excellent piece. Will use it regularly moving forward. Thanks for the addition of this new tool in my toolbox for life!

By: LK

LK — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:05:09 +0000

I really saw myself in the mirror on this one. I am keeping this handy to review and learn. Thank you so much.

By: Bubbles

Bubbles — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:09:47 +0000

I agree with the concept of practicing a “healthier version” of sarcasm. There is a time and a place to be sarcastic, the key is being able to not use sarcasm all the time and know when it is appropriate. Also, knowing when it is mean.
A good idea is to identify those friends who are fellow fans of finely-honed witty sarcasm, and with whom you can really “let loose” on each other without any feelings being hurt as a vent to enjoy your “craft”, as well as identifying those sensitive individuals in your life who will be deeply wounded by many statements, however unintentional, and adjust the dialogue according to who you are speaking with.

By: Dave Birren

Dave Birren — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:05:01 +0000

Kerry, this is a great story. I had an experience similar to the one William Diedrich describes in his comment above. Forty years later, I remain grateful to the supervisor who pointed out what my eyes could see but my mind denied – that I had hurt a co-worker’s feelings.

The difference between my experience and yours is that mine caused me to examine my underlying beliefs and values (and their source), while yours apparently registered primarily at the level of behavior. It’s no wonder you had such a struggle with it (I say this compassionately, not critically). My total rejection of sarcasm was just the beginning of retooling of my belief systems and ultimately healing the significant wounds of my upbringing.

Thanks for your openness and honesty. We need more of those qualities in this cruel (sarcastic, et al.) world we live in.

By: bean sagof

bean sagof — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:58:48 +0000

while i have a lot of respect for and make efforts to develop clear and direct communication, there’s a distinction that needs to be made between sarcasm as a tool to get a leg up on someone and sarcasm as a tool to communicate abstract ideas that aren’t yet clear or able to be made direct. i think teenagers appreciate that the most of any type of communication because of its potential for humor (e.g. exaggerating a silly behavior to show the natural consequences more quickly) and its dependence on the listener as an audience whom one is trying to impress (e.g. as opposed to lecturing someone with clear and direct communication.)
as long as we start with the heart in order to practice a healthier version of sarcasm, then i don’t see the need to eschew it when stakes are high and would prefer to use it as another tool for joining forces with someone against some silly behavior or another.
which brings up the last point. if mr. johnson had, in fact, missed the logic and reasoning portion of his education, then why should he be offended that someone called it out, and if he hadn’t then what’s wrong with a playful remark, as long as it’s in fact playful, i.e. motivated by a desire to help and not an attempt to hatefully embarrass him??? the stuffiness i see in science is due to (among other reasons) the desire to be unquestioned, so we tiptoe around issues and the students see exactly where this tiptoeing comes from: big egos. banter among the professionals that gets extended to students then is exactly the comfort needed to establish a culture of easy questioning from curiosity that lacks the bully quality of an ego pursuing its victim.