People are naturally sarcastic, and we gravitate toward such behavior. It’s a trait that made Chandler Bing a beloved character. Statistics also show that Americans sarcastically say, “Yeah, right,” at least 23% of the time.
Researchers also found a link between a sharp-witted sense of humor and higher creativity levels. As The Swaddle pointed out, sarcasm requires mental gymnastics.
Because sarcasm requires extra brain power, experts see it as evidence of maturity, especially among teenagers. Speaking with BBC, psycholinguist Dr. Penny Pexman explained how detecting subtle nuances of snark fast-tracks a child’s understanding of another person’s intentions through their words.
“Children develop the ability to take the perspective of another person and to recognize that the belief someone might hold in their mind is different from their own,” Pexman said.
People tend to develop friendships with people who carry a brutally honest approach, sometimes through snarky statements. As explained by psychologist Dr. Nikki Martinez, it’s because sarcasm allows us a person to speak their mind while being less aggressive.
“Someone with good insight will know there is truth in what we said, while someone with a big ego will just assume that we were joking,” Dr. Martinez told Reader’s Digest.
Of course, people don’t view sarcasm as a positive thing on the surface. Licensed mental health counselor Anthony D. Smith describes it as “hostility disguised as humor.”
Language experts suggest that others use sarcastic humor as a “gentler insult” to tone down their criticism. Speaker and workplace expert Amy Gallo views it as passive-aggressive behavior that can negatively affect workplace relationships.
Ultimately, it’s about striking the right balance. While sarcasm does have perceived upsides in certain situations, too much of it may be damaging to an extent. Educator and therapist Pamela J. Nikodem advises incorporating wit and positivity to avoid going overboard.
“The weight of negativity pulls a person’s disposition down,” Nikodem wrote in an article for Medium. “The idea is to bring laughter to people.”
Your opinions matter to us, dear readers. Are you a fan of snarky humor? Which of these memes did you find most humor in? Are there any that weren’t as appealing? Share your thoughts!
