Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the net

[Captain_Nick]

The internet is for learning from each other! New people! New perspectives! Intelligent, constructive conversations! Critical thinking!

Was that sarcasm? I can't tell

Absolutely not.

Was that sarcasm?

I know I'm not the only person with this problem. Sarcasm cannot be communicated across the internet in words. It relies on context, facial expression, tone of voice and inflexion to be effectively understood by the recipient. None of these things, except maybe context, can be adequately represented by the written word.

There's no sense in aruging that people 'should' know when someone is or is not being sarcastic because people are different, with different genetic makeups, personalities, experiences and senses of humour. If I find something funny, its odds on you won't.

So! That is the problem. Fortunately, I have devised a solution. Ironically enough it was suggested to me by one of my favourite TV shows, The Big Bang Theory.

Why not use a sign or some sort of visual symbol to denote sarcasm?

Check it

How effective is that?? Now Sheldon knows that Penny is being sarcastic, so he can respond in an appropriate fashion.

Now I am not calling for humanity to carry around sarcasm signs at all times and use them in real world interactions. That would destroy the spontenaety of the humour, which usually intensifies when one person in a group 'doesn't get it'. As I said above, the problem is not with real world sarcasm. The problem is the internet, and the textual nature of the interaction.

What I am suggesting is that from now on whenever you are being sarcastic in a post, use this happy fellow

to help your fellow posters along.

That is my idea, if you have any better please do share them.

 

[Kestra]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I think it just helps to know people. If you had known me better, you would've realized I wasn't being sarcastic. At least, I think many posters here would have realized that.

 

[STR]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

1) Don't be hypersensitive 2) Give people the benefit of the doubt. 3) If, after giving a polite reply, the other person is still being a prick, then lay into them.

It works pretty good for me, except when I drunk post...

 

[Amaris]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I think it just helps to know people. If you had known me better, you would've realized I wasn't being sarcastic. At least, I think many posters here would have realized that.

You seemed to be serious to me. I can usually tell when you're sarcastic, but you didn't seem to be sarcastic this time. Plus, I know you're an optimist, which means your statement is likely a serious one, not a sarcastic one.

 

[FordSVT]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

/s

That's pretty much the accepted forum/comments section notation for sarcasm, placed at the end of a post. Simple, yes?

Sarcasm is far easier to read if it's in context. If that one sentence in isolation was Kestra's only reply in the thread, it would be very easy for me to think she might have been being sarcastic. If it was one line in a paragraph detailing how in fact that has been her experience or how that's her "ideal" nature of the Internet, then I think it would have been much more clear she wasn't.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Sometimes it's easier for me on the Internet than IRL. IRL I sometimes get confused by people's tones and body language if they seem serious, and I have to really back up and think about the fact that their words are nonsense. Plus I have to respond quickly. On the Internet I have time to think about it.

Plus it seems like it's more accepted to ask people outright on the Internet, if they're being sarcastic or not.

 

[Starbreaker]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I usually do this when I'm being sarcastic. Otherwise, I'm pretty much in serious mode.

Only a handful of people here have difficulty with sarcasm and humor, thankfully.

 

[Kestra]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

/s

That's pretty much the accepted forum/comments section notation for sarcasm, placed at the end of a post. Simple, yes?

Sarcasm is far easier to read if it's in context. If that one sentence in isolation was Kestra's only reply in the thread, it would be very easy for me to think she might have been being sarcastic. If it was one line in a paragraph detailing how in fact that has been her experience or how that's her "ideal" nature of the Internet, then I think it would have been much more clear she wasn't.

See, I assumed that people know I'm a bit of an idealist and that I was entirely serious. I didn't elaborate since it wasn't the topic and I actually wonder sometimes if people get sick of me going on about my ideals.

Regardless, I apologize for any confusion. The lovely thing about conversation is that one can always ask for clarification, though!

 

[sojourner]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

/s

That's pretty much the accepted forum/comments section notation for sarcasm, placed at the end of a post. Simple, yes?

Sarcasm is far easier to read if it's in context. If that one sentence in isolation was Kestra's only reply in the thread, it would be very easy for me to think she might have been being sarcastic. If it was one line in a paragraph detailing how in fact that has been her experience or how that's her "ideal" nature of the Internet, then I think it would have been much more clear she wasn't.

See, I assumed that people know I'm a bit of an idealist and that I was entirely serious. I didn't elaborate since it wasn't the topic and I actually wonder sometimes if people get sick of me going on about my ideals.

Regardless, I apologize for any confusion. The lovely thing about conversation is that one can always ask for clarification, though!

That's the first time I have seen /s to denote sarcasm on a forum.

I usually use <sarcasm>blah blah something sarcastic</sarcasm> when I want to ensure my intent is clear.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Or the BBCode version: [sarcasm]That's a good idea. [/sarcasm]

It's kind of sad that positive or idealistic expressions are automatically assumed to be sarcastic. What a world....

 

[MetalPants]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I actually wonder sometimes if people get sick of me going on about my ideals.

Nope!

 

[iguana_tonante]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Yes, sometimes sarcasm is difficult to convey in written form. Especially if you don't know the person doing it well. In this instance, I've interacted with Kestra enough times that I knew she wasn't sarcastic. Actually, her enthusiasm and open-mindedness is quite refreshing.

So, instead of devising weird gizmos or elaborate symbols to denote sarcasm, try the simplest solution: try to interact and learn about people. It will solve the problem, and make you a more pleasant person at the same time.

Also, Leonard's sarcasm sign wouldn't have helped me a bit, because all I can see in that picture are Kaley Cuoco's tits. And the whiteboard with data on pion decay.

 

[trekkiedane]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Fixed it for ya

 

[TheBrew]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I think it just helps to know people. If you had known me better, you would've realized I wasn't being sarcastic. At least, I think many posters here would have realized that.

Wait, is that more sarcasm?

I sometimes use italics to denote sarcasm, but I am usually able to communicate it effectively by making it a bit more ironic, especially when compared to rest of the post or previous posts I have made.

 

[Pingfah]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I don't care if people know whether i'm being sarcastic to them or not, if I am it's probably for my own amusement.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Actually, there's an organization trying to push the "SarcMark" as a punctuation mark to denote sarcasm. Link!

That said, there is this girl I talk to (online) where we hold entire conversations speaking sarcastically and we still understand the meaning. But that's just the kind of people we are. With strangers on the Interbutt, it can be difficult to tell when someone is being serious, sarcastic, hyperbolic, or is just plain nuts.

 

[Mary Ann]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I usually do this when I'm being sarcastic. Otherwise, I'm pretty much in serious mode.

Only a handful of people here have difficulty with sarcasm and humor, thankfully.

I also use the winking smiley to denote sarcasm. Early in my internet life I inadvertently offended some people when my sarcasm wasn't obvious, and that taught me my lesson. And, as others have pointed out, it becomes easier to spot sarcasm when you get to know people on the board.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

Yeah, because having a specific symbol for sarcasm is not completely opposite to the concept of sarcasm itself. Not at all.



Oh, wait.

 

[Nerdius Maximus]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

I don't think it's too hard to convey sarcasm over the net. Italics and smilies help.

"Yeah, that'll work..."

 

[melancholymecha]

Re: Lets talk about .. overcoming communication difficulties over the

How effective is that?? Now Sheldon knows that Penny is being sarcastic, so he can respond in an appropriate fashion.

does he have Aspergers? I really need to watch this show someday. That reminds me of me.