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> I did, however, put a decent layer of sarcasm on it, because I wanted it to be funny, and I think the comedy was one of the main reasons it got so much attent
by knowtheory 16y ago
> I did, however, put a decent layer of sarcasm on it, because I wanted it to be funny, and I think the comedy was one of the main reasons it got so much attention.
Sarcasm is not, in of itself, funny. Your post was certainly not funny. It was sardonic and overbearing. Your tone was only tolerable because your experience was interesting and not written up previously in a place like HN. If anything your post was modded up in part because of how enraged you sounded.
Charlie Sheen doesn't get attention in his interviews because he's funny. He gets attention because he's unhinged, and everyone wants to watch the train-wreck unfold.
(To be clear, my intent is not to compare you to Charlie Sheen, instead i think we should be very clear on what it was that was that media sources and the blogosphere thought was notable, in general, and in the specific case of your post, for better or worse)
- jammur 16y agoThanks for the comment, but I'm going to have to disagree. If you read the comments on the main article, I think you'll see that quite a few people found it funny. As did many of the people who emailed me directly. You're right, sarcasm isn't funny in and of itself, but it is used as a comedic tool very frequently. I'm not sure I've ever seen a stand up comedian who didn't use sarcasm as part of his tool set. Did my frustration come through? Absolutely. Did I sound enraged? I don't think so. It was more like bewildered. Obviously you're open to your own interpretation, but as the author I think I have a better idea as to what the tone of my writing was.