Subtle Sarcasms & Veiled Venom
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People tend to believe that I'm this prudish strait laced nerdette, at least when it comes to the things I write. Just because I don't swear or use profanities liberally doesn't mean that I don't have such thoughts whilst I'm phrasing my sentences!
It is not everyone's talent(?) to come up with short and sharp insults that are so subtle that most people don't get the sarcasm until they think back, or perhaps re-read / recollect the statement over. Then again, some never do.
Of course, there's the standard, "drop dead," variations of "idiot," "jerk," and the like, but when somebody is really angry it doesn't always make for an effective comeback.
It's more challenging if we insult / be sarcastic without the use of profanities... and I would think that the effect would be far greater. It makes people actually have to think, as opposed to familiar swear or curse words that would not actually deliver anything apart from the fact that the other party would know that we're pissed off.
Put it this way... assuming if I were to say :
"Oh... I don't think you're dumb, but what's my opinion as compared to thousands of others?"
...and saunter away nonchalantly, is definitely more cutting than if I just said :
"You're such a c**k and a half!"
Not only would he be momentarily flabbergasted whilst letting the double edged meaning sink in, he'd be racking his nearly non-existent brain for a wittier comeback!
Even in politics throughout the ages, a "well-meaning" insult have let some politicians have their say and get away with it. For example, Adlai Stevenson said: "If they were to stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them" - now... that's a classic!
Just yesterday while I was having some drinks with my buddies, this guy came up to me (it would help if he was even remotely attractive!) and said :
"Hi, I think I've seen you here before. Do you come here frequently?"
If he was a tad more 'sincere' about it, I would've given him the benefit of the doubt, but asking such a clichéd pick-up(?) line whilst ogling and leering takes away any well meaning intentions that he may have had; So I replied:
"Not if you do..."
and he goes on to say :"Really, ah?" 
Oh... by the way, I'm not usually this smart, I'm just making a special effort today.
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I'm starting to look forward to this series of stimulating threads .....
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Originally posted by Fatum:I'm starting to look forward to this series of stimulating threads .....
good one.
kaykaykay ... I'll stop. -
is it subtle if i dignify this thread with a response?
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more examples
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well, you got a point there, but we must really consider the intelligence of some of the people here.. we really dont want to have to say something extremely intelligent, causing the victim to try his/her hardest to figure out whether he/she is being praised, or is being burnt. awesome post though.. im still sticking to my normal ways, unless i feel the need for a change.. if you know what i mean
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Nooooo ..... keep them coming .....Originally posted by BabyRS:
good one.
kaykaykay ... I'll stop.
number them and make them a series or something ...
and no ..... nothing hidden in the above ... -
yeah... coffeeortea is right... sometimes, the subject of our contempt too dense to understand or realise what's going on... and the line just bounces off them...
worse is when it also goes beyond the head of everyone around
so, such times, brutality works...
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Even better when the not so subtle jabs are minuted and filed as part of permanent record.Originally posted by the Bear:yeah... coffeeortea is right... sometimes, the subject of our contempt too dense to understand or realise what's going on... and the line just bounces off them...
worse is when it also goes beyond the head of everyone around
so, such times, brutality works... Tell you about it over see hum. -
Was just passing time when I posted this topic... didn't mean to insinuate that members here should be that way.
Just thought it's pretty much something we encounter often in our daily lives. Even the friendly coffeeshop auntie is sometimes guilty of it. -
I've been on the giving and receiving end of such sarcastic and caustic remarks.
I still prefer to be the generous giver in such circumstances! -
i li siao too much, and choco b got sarcastic to me before
i feel so stupid
everytime meet these type of things i always wish i was more witty, i know shouldn't be so li siao, but i didn't know i li siao over the limit, i just wanted to butt in a little. -
Sarcasm is an art practised by the subtle.
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Could well be an innate ability... very much like either you have it, or you don't.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Sarcasm is an art practised by the subtle. -
what a wonderful ability to have... unfortunately i don't possess that art neither does my pen contain any venom.
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I turn it on when needed.Originally posted by BabyRS:Could well be an innate ability... very much like either you have it, or you don't. -
Me too! Me too!!Originally posted by LazerLordz:I turn it on when needed.
I used to stun my boss whenever I made suggestions to him on how to reply to certain emails. He would look at me like that --> and say, "Very scary, you! I'd better never offend you!" -
I'm just saccharine sweet
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apparently im not sarcastic, but for some reason, people seem to think so. Isn't the whole world just so wonderfully understanding and clever?
Awwwwwwww
*does a fake sigh of contentment* -
Originally posted by elindra:I'm just saccharine sweet
*coughs! *splutters! *chokes!!
Oh yeah you are, sweetie! You're as good as them artificial sweeteners!! -
personal observation,of all posts noted you were never sarcastic, you were always direct to the point.Originally posted by HENG@:apparently im not sarcastic, but for some reason, people seem to think so. Isn't the whole world just so wonderfully understanding and clever?
Awwwwwwww
*does a fake sigh of contentment*
just a personal opinion -
Certain asshole-like officers in the army got a taste of a few sharp emails which they could not catch, and at a glance, sounded like anything helpful from a helpdesk.Originally posted by Rhonda:Me too! Me too!!
I used to stun my boss whenever I made suggestions to him on how to reply to certain emails. He would look at me like that --> and say, "Very scary, you! I'd better never offend you!"
Yes..I ran a helpdesk.It was totally crazy.Mad Majors and what not..even had arguments with ladies in workshops.. -
Oh, this thread is awesome!!!
Love it, love it................
Keep those threads coming, BabyRS!!! -
Ha ha ha!!! Reminds of of those army days when my boss will just toss me a letter or show me an email and get me to draft a reply. His instructions were always short and sweet. e.g. "tell the %$#@ to go and fuck spider!"Originally posted by Rhonda:Me too! Me too!!
I used to stun my boss whenever I made suggestions to him on how to reply to certain emails. He would look at me like that --> and say, "Very scary, you! I'd better never offend you!"
I would then go back to my computer, scratch my head and draft a civil at the first glance reply based on those instructions. Looking back, it was excellent training. -
Originally posted by av98m:Ha ha ha!!! Reminds of of those army days when my boss will just toss me a letter or show me an email and get me to draft a reply. His instructions were always short and sweet. e.g. "tell the %$#@ to go and fuck spider!"
I would then go back to my computer, scratch my head and draft a civil at the first glance reply based on those instructions. Looking back, it was excellent training.
Pinky Bear says I'm good at drafting letters!