'Sarcasm' brain areas discovered
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4566319.stm has a story about scientists discovering the part of the brain which processes sarcasm.
I had been brought up to believe that sarcasm was a cultural thing, and also that Americans 'didn't get it'. My experience of Americans is that they are just as wonderfully sarcastic as anyone else I know.
So, if it's not a cultural thing, then why is it more predominant in some parts of the country than others? I thought I used it plenty before having to be told 'Don't worry about him, it's just his scouse humour' while I was 'up North'.
I guess it's a bit of both- but my question is, by discovering that people with brain damage don't interpret sarcasm, are we suggesting that you need to be more intelligent in order to use or understand sarcasm? Or is it a cultural/learning style thing?
Oh well. In the name of equal opportunities, I do hereby solemnly swear that I will never be sarcastic again!
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Nikki Adds:
Yeah- thanks C- I know what you mean. I guess we often judge someone's 'intelligence' on their ability to communicate the intelligence. As someone with dyslexia I should realise that way more than some.
I guess I was trying to get at the whole 'sarcasm is the lowest form of witt' cliche, and figure what it is about it that some people don't understand. I know I've been criticised by friends for using it too liberally and then get myself in a hole when it's taken literally by someone who is very 'intelligent' and a great communicator but doesn't 'get it'.
Hmmm.
N
I had been brought up to believe that sarcasm was a cultural thing, and also that Americans 'didn't get it'. My experience of Americans is that they are just as wonderfully sarcastic as anyone else I know.
So, if it's not a cultural thing, then why is it more predominant in some parts of the country than others? I thought I used it plenty before having to be told 'Don't worry about him, it's just his scouse humour' while I was 'up North'.
I guess it's a bit of both- but my question is, by discovering that people with brain damage don't interpret sarcasm, are we suggesting that you need to be more intelligent in order to use or understand sarcasm? Or is it a cultural/learning style thing?
Oh well. In the name of equal opportunities, I do hereby solemnly swear that I will never be sarcastic again!
---
Nikki Adds:
Yeah- thanks C- I know what you mean. I guess we often judge someone's 'intelligence' on their ability to communicate the intelligence. As someone with dyslexia I should realise that way more than some.
I guess I was trying to get at the whole 'sarcasm is the lowest form of witt' cliche, and figure what it is about it that some people don't understand. I know I've been criticised by friends for using it too liberally and then get myself in a hole when it's taken literally by someone who is very 'intelligent' and a great communicator but doesn't 'get it'.
Hmmm.
N
posted by Nikki @ 7:06 pm
1 Comments:
At 8:40 pm,
Caroline said…
um, 'brain damage' doesn't always , or even usually, affect intelligence. it can mean you lose your sense of smell, or taste, or understanding, or ability to link words or remember vocabulary, a stroke could well leave you brain damaged - but not 'less intelligent'. so, er, no by linking 'not getting sarcasm' with brain damage there is no suggestion that
you need to be 'more' intelligent to get it. But you know that, don't you? ;)
xc
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