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Maybe I misunderstood this because of what books I have been reading lately, but I really enjoyed reading this piece as a piece of irony. Apparently the word i
by alexhaefner 14y ago
Maybe I misunderstood this because of what books I have been reading lately, but I really enjoyed reading this piece as a piece of irony. Apparently the word irony, pre-14th century had more to do with an author writing an opinion he or she did not hold, as if he or she did hold it.
When I read this as if the author doesn't believe that life is wasting his time, but is being ironic, because the inherent flaw resides within himself, and not within life, then I find the piece to be a really, really interesting and an exposing and humble read.
- daemonl 14y agoYou totally got it. Apparently not many others did, my bad. Thanks for your comment.
- dpatrick86 14y agoBlame it on a verbose minority not getting it... I think your opening title was a pretty strong hint of the direction you were taking it. Well done
- alexhaefner 14y agoThanks again for writing this. You're writing about a feeling that I've experienced and can relate to, and I thought the piece was excellent. Great job.
- RBerenguel 14y agoGot it, too and found it quite close to some ideas I wasn't sure how to write.
- blablabla123 14y agoExcellent article... At first I wasn't sure whether it was serious or not. I guess many have gotten into the trap of complaining that they don't work like a robot in a robot factory. I have gotten more than once into it ;)
- JohnLBevan 14y agoGreat article, but I couldn't help thinking my time could have been better spent elsewhere. ;)
- PlanetFunk 14y agoI'm pretty sure that wasting time with your partner/children/family/friends IS the whole point of life :)
- brador 14y agoWould that be called sarcasm in the modern day?
- alexhaefner 14y agoI don't think so. But this stuff is always in flux. I see irony as constructive - it intends to produce something. In the case of the author, writing from an ironic perspective was the best way to describe a feeling and emotion that would have been hard, if impossible, to capture otherwise. Sarcasm is entirely destructive. It isn't comedy, and it isn't irony. I'm pigeonholing it into a very tight definition, but when sarcasm is used, it tends to be used as a way to put the person using it on a higher pedestal than whomever the sarcasm is directed at. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but think of times when someone acts in a sarcastic manner. It usually isn't funny, and it doesn't communicate a feeling, it's just meant to make a witty or kitschy point that is meant to bring the subject of the sarcasm down and elevate the person who is using sarcasm, his or her feeling of self worth.
- jimwhitson 14y agoThe OED defines sarcasm as 'a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter gibe or taunt'. Irony is often used in a sarcastic remark, but it's generally the cheap sort of irony - 'Well done, genius' in response to a stupid error - rather than the more literary sort, which when particularly well-developed we call satire.
- nollidge 14y agoIMO sarcasm is a form of irony that's brief and especially cutting.
- innguest 14y ago> Apparently the word irony, pre-14th century had more to do with an author writing an opinion he or she did not hold, as if he or she did hold it. It still means that; people just misuse it when they actually mean "coincidence".