Let Sarah read it out for you.
In your day-to-day life, you tend to use many words/terms without knowing their actual meaning or significance. One of them is ‘SARCASM’ which is in our blood and mostly fascinates us when we try to be sarcastic. But, being sarcastic can cause disasters if not used in a proper way. General explanation of being sarcastic can be ‘to say things indirectly with bitter words or instance’. You may call it disguised insult in the form of humor.
Let’s talk about how to use sarcasm, maintain or avoid sarcasm and its side effects that are ruining your relationships and connections.
Don’t Get Addicted to SARCASM
Before you think you are sarcastic, you must know what it means actually. Sarcasm is one kind of addiction when you learn to use it regularly. In Psychology, this term is not merely accepted because it is considered that it is one of the saddest things to do. It gives devilish happiness; you get pleasure in insulting people.
But if it becomes your habit, you won’t be able to come out of it easily. You won’t be able to have normal interaction with people. People will consider you as a negative personality who always criticizes others, or insults indirectly. They might try to stay away from you or plan things frequently without you. If that’s already happening, you definitely need to use it only when it’s needed.
Use It When You Need It
Now, how to decide when and where to use sarcasm?
It totally depends upon your intelligence. Generally we use it when we want to make someone realize something, we want to hide something from people or we want cover ourselves in sudden situations. Coming straight to the point, you use it when you feel that there’s no other way left, when you feel that without sarcasm your point won’t have such desired effect or when you feel to stop someone from doing something unusual or embarrassing.
Also read: 5 Reasons Why Smart People Fail
How to Use Sarcasm?
You need to build some different kind of skills. Use apt words with apt meanings. Sarcasm is a box of emotional, physical, social and well as cultural variables. You can be sarcastic anywhere, anytime, with anyone and for anything. It’s also used with the help of non verbal communication where facial expressions, postures, gestures, your voice quality and voice modulations play a vital role.
We all know how to change our facial expressions; we tend to use fake smiles, artificial laugh, arrogant postures, or twisted eyebrows and what not.
You should use third person’s name or your own self to be sarcastic. For instance, if I want to talk about a person to someone in the presence of that person I would use my own self to indicate the message, “I am very stubborn, you don’t know me yet, or I have habit to disclose everything to everyone.” Though I’m using myself, I’m directly/indirectly talking about that person’s habits.
In writing, we definitely use some marks to indicate sarcasm. Either you use such phrases which directly communicate indirect hints, emotions, and taunts. Or you can use something like this, ‘Oh, I see [!]’, or ‘I don’t think so [?]’. With all kinds of punctuation marks written in those brackets, it is supposed to be taken as a sarcastic comment.
When to Avoid Sarcasm?
It is all about your nature, try asking yourself the below mentioned 3 quick questions:
- Do you really feel happy to insult people or humiliate them in front of all?
- Do we like or tolerate sarcasm on us?
- Can we manage it emotionally?
You can use it when you want to tease your friends or colleagues or siblings. Besides, you can also use it to compliment people or appreciate them. But in a professional place or with family or elders, try not to use it every time. It is not necessary to express or to educate people all the time, be patient.
Words hurt more than action and as a result there’s a great possibility that you spoil your best relationships due to this habit. If you are really not satisfied then straight away talk, in simple logical words, it is better to clarify things directly and personally.
You can be sarcastic where you actually need it for yourself; it can be to prove yourself, to enhance your surroundings, to progress but not to become a devil for everyone or yourself as well.
Overall, it’s all about happiness and fun. You can/should be sarcastic but don’t use it as a weapon.
Featured Artwork by KevalDK
