MissConstrue wrote:
I have this problem, something I've noticed since I've been on this site more. I don't know if I do it more in typing than in real life or both. Frankly in real life ppl aren't going to be that honest.
I'll sometimes joke with people and notice that they'll either get mad or take what I said in a literal since. Sometimes people know I'm kidding. I really try not to be sarcastic. I was raised with an alcoholic father who was humorously sarcastic. I don't know if that's from him or something else. I sometimes do feel misconstrued with what I say. The funny part about it is I don't handle other people's sarcasms or put downs for that matter. So I don't know if this is related to being passive aggressive or just socially inapproppriate....a part of AS. I've also been told I have a strange since of humor.
Does anyone else have this problem?
I think a lot of people have a strange sense of humour. I've gotten comments about my sense of humour, such as, "You're amused by small things," or even that I lack a sense of humour. It depends on who is observing you, because we all have different perceptions of what is a "normal" sense of humour.
I have this problem with people taking my words literally, but it's normally not when I'm being sarcastic. Usually it's when I'm actually making a joke. Like, once I was out camping with my class, and the teacher had brought veggie bologna so we could make sandwiches. I said, "I call dibs on the veggie bologna!" <-- clearly a joke, but my teacher looked at me and said, "Actually, you can't, it's for everyone." Even my mother doesn't know when I'm joking. She told me that I should laugh after making a joke so that people get the message, but I abandoned this approach after I tried it on my mother and she STILL didn't realize I was joking.
When I'm sarcastic, everyone can tell, because I've had a lot of practice using a sarcastic voice -- one of my best friends is very sarcastic, and much of the time, so am I. Some people don't know this, but sarcasm has its own "voice". If you don't have the voice, people probably won't know you're being sarcastic. There are also some one-size-fits-all sentences/words you can add to a sarcastic sentence so that people get the message:
compare:
"Would you like some company?"
"I really need that right now." <<<< this sounds literal
"Would you like some company?"
"Oh yeah, cuz THAT'S what I need right now!" <<< this sounds sarcastic
Notice the addition of "oh yeah" at the beginning of the sarcastic sentence, and the emphasis on "that's". I use that emphasis a lot.
Another thing I do to let people know when I'm sarcastic is I add, "No, not at ALL!" As in:
[Friend says something stupid]
"That doesn't make you sound like an idiot! No, not at ALL!"
Hope this helps! ^^
02 May 2008, 4:05 pm
