To survive in today’s hilariously ironic society, the ability to recognise sarcasm is a necessary one.
“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence,” wrote that connoisseur of wit, Oscar Wilde.
Whether sarcasm is a sign of intelligence or not, communication experts and marriage counsellors alike typically advise us to stay away from this particular form of expression.
The reason is simple: sarcasm expresses the poisonous sting of contempt, hurting others and harming relationships. As a form of communication, sarcasm takes on the debt of conflict.
Why might sarcasm enhance creativity? Because the brain must think creatively to understand or convey a sarcastic comment, sarcasm may lead to clearer and more creative thinking.
To either create or understand sarcasm, tone must overcome the contradiction between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This process activates and is facilitated by, abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking.
So if you or if you know someone who responds very quickly with something sarcastic, well good news is, THEY GOT A HEALTHY BRAIN!
