Summary: Think Sarcasm is Funny? Think Again

Here is my summation of an article by Clifford N Lazarus Ph.D. on Jun 26, 2012 from Psychology Today:

Think Sarcasm Is Funny? Think Again

Sarcasm disguises hostility as humor: a smiling, put down jerk, cutting and hurting his victim.

Sarcasm heightens the perpetrator’s own underlying hostility, while ceasing it brings happiness to self and victims.

One can use sarcasm sparingly to spice up conversation with humor but when overdone it creates emotional bitterness in the recipient.

One creates wit intelligently with cleverness and consideration, ending in appreciation; while one who composes sarcasm simply with anger, criticism, meanness, humorlessness and talentless, ends in bitterness.

In summary, sarcasm hurts because it disguises hostility as humor, while wit hurts none because it delivers undisguised and harmless humor.

Here are your words to shield against sarcasm…

I don’t appreciate your comments because they are veiled hostility and unacceptable bullying.