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THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

topic posted Fri, March 21, 2008 - 7:35 PM by 
WASHINGTON — "The ability to comprehend sarcasm depends upon a carefully orchestrated sequence of complex cognitive skills based in specific parts of the brain. Yeah, right, and I’m the Tooth Fairy. But it’s true: New research details an “anatomy of sarcasm” that explains how the mind puts sharp-tongued words into context. The findings appear in the May issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA)."

So, apparently the inability to perceive and understand sarcasm is linked to damage to the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

I just found this...um...interesting. And I mean that sincerely.

-K
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  • Cloé...
    Cloé Marité
    offline 130

    Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

    Sat, March 22, 2008 - 2:07 AM
    this is interesting. i have long struggled with sarcasm, it is usually opaque to me. i have a really hard time understanding what is meant.
    i am also diagnosed with 'moderately severe' ADHD, a condition also linked to damage of the prefrontal cortex.
    from my discussions with other people facing similar cognitive 'impairments' i believe it is entirely plausible that some of us simply lack the sarcasm plug-in.
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    • harold
      harold
      offline 20

      Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

      Sat, March 22, 2008 - 7:04 AM
      interesting - truly...

      in a weird coincidence, i was watching a youtube video
      of a dude who was (deaf) signing - a dance song... i dont
      think the guy himself is deaf - but interpreting between
      folks who have disabilities is an interesting problem.

      how would someone try to explain sarcasm to another who
      just "could not get it" ?

      heres the link, fyi - www.youtube.com/watch
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    • Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

      Sat, March 22, 2008 - 1:22 PM
      I would also bet the understanding of sarcasm is cultural too. What passes for witty and sarcastic commentary in one culture is completely un understandable in another.
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  • Fifi
    Fifi
    offline 51

    Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

    Tue, March 25, 2008 - 10:15 AM
    just because it's worth having the exact word to express something...

    Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
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    • Lily
      Lily
      offline 87

      Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

      Tue, March 25, 2008 - 11:56 AM
      I don't get how the quote (within the quotes) implies that some sort of damage must be present - it just says there's a complex array of events and locations. I think that damage could prevent getting it - but if they claim otherwise I would probably disagree. (I'm not afraid of disagreeing with scientists - nossir! - thinking of all the bad things that turned out to be good, and all the good drugs that turned out to be bad . . . )
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      • Fifi
        Fifi
        offline 51

        Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

        Tue, March 25, 2008 - 12:08 PM
        Lily - It seemed to me that the article about the study is saying that if you have specific kinds of brain damage that you won't understand/recognize sarcasm, which makes plenty of sense in terms of what we know (as pointed out in the article). This doesn't automatically mean that you *have* to be brain damaged if you don't get sarcasm (I'd have to read the article again but that's not what I got from it on the first read). (The bits in quotes are, I'd expect, quotes from the language/terminology used in the actual paper on the study that was done.)
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  • Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

    Mon, March 31, 2008 - 7:40 AM
    Don'tr think "damaged" is appropriate - just a variation which is probably prevalent enough to be classed as normal.

    I am ADD - not ADDH - and appreciate sarcasm, the more convoluted, the better.

    Just for grins, here's a joke, very sarcastic, which I think everyone will get:
    (Love telling this one to ardent feminists)



    Why is it impossible for a woman to have a brain?
    Because she doesn't have a penis in which to put it.

    .
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    • Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

      Mon, March 31, 2008 - 8:19 PM
      "Why is it impossible for a woman to have a brain?
      Because she doesn't have a penis in which to put it."

      Perhaps we put our brains in our breasts, in which case we have one more than most men. Of course, it can get ugly when they disagree. Thank gawd for underwires!

      -K
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    • kalsang
      kalsang
      online 60

      Re: THE ANATOMY OF SARCASM

      Tue, April 1, 2008 - 10:01 PM
      Ha ha, that reminds me of the one where the woman gives birth and they take the baby away to wash it and weigh it and the doctor rushes back in all breathless and says, "Oh my god, your baby has a major biological anomaly. We don't know what to do." The father and the mother stare at him horrified, and the father finally gasps, "What's wrong?" The doctor says, "Well, it's weird. I've never seen this before. He appears to have both a penis, and a brain."
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