When smilies turn sarcastic
Are you the type of person who uses smilies? Those three short characters -- the colon, the hyphen, and the right-hand bracket -- have changed the way that we talk to each other online. And of course, there are almost endless variations on the theme. As a writer, I tried to convince myself that words should be enough to communicate what I'm trying to say, but it's hard to avoid the temptation. And now, a company has invented yet another symbol to help you sum up your feelings online. Sarcasm, Inc has invented the SarcMark.
How do you express sarcasm online? Misunderstandings in emails and text messages can get you into all sorts of trouble. People can think that you are being sarcastic, when you are not. Or, they might not get your sarcasm at all. So, the SarcMark is designed to make it clear when you are displaying the lowest form of wit.
You have to pay two dollars for the software that lets you make the symbol, and then you can be sarcastic using nothing more than a single keystroke. But, as we keep adding more symbols to repertoire, aren't we missing something important?
I once spoke to a writer who refused even to use bold or italics. He argued that if your writing is good enough, you shouldn't need visual cues to get your message across. The words should be enough. Sarcasm is supposed to involve the use of irony to mock, or convey contempt. But irony is meant to be subtle, and not something that you can condense down to a symbol. It's kind of like explaining the punchline to a joke.
You have to pay two dollars for the software that lets you make the symbol, and then you can be sarcastic using nothing more than a single keystroke. But, as we keep adding more symbols to repertoire, aren't we missing something important?
I once spoke to a writer who refused even to use bold or italics. He argued that if your writing is good enough, you shouldn't need visual cues to get your message across. The words should be enough. Sarcasm is supposed to involve the use of irony to mock, or convey contempt. But irony is meant to be subtle, and not something that you can condense down to a symbol. It's kind of like explaining the punchline to a joke.
Perhaps we have to accept that, in the age of electronic communication, language is changing -- and it involves far more abbreviations and graphic signifiers than it used to.
Danny Bradbury, MSN Tech & Gadgets
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