On Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 01:18:36AM +0100, hiro wrote: > > Granted, sarcasm can be a great literary tool, but like with any > > sophisticated construct, it must be handled with skill if we are to > > achieve the desired result. In the case above, Uriel mistook a > > sarcastic remark for an honest opinion. > > How come you are so sure about that, my friend?
Because in a reply to Uriel, Robert said so: On Fri, Nov 06, 2009 at 04:29:40PM -0500, Robert C Corsaro wrote: > I agree with all your points in spirit. I would only like to point > out that I was obviously being sarcastic. I've replied to both his and your emails so you'll have the in-reply-to header fields to track that email down if you like. On Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 01:18:36AM +0100, hiro wrote: > > I have no intention of rubbing his nose in it -- especially since the > > reply was pretty reasoned and interesting -- but perhaps this is a > > lesson to all to adopt a little more humility in our ability to know > > the limits of our literary abilities and temper our tones. > > Why should we? Sorry, I don't quite understand your question. Are you asking why we should try to learn from experience? Another possibility is that you're asking why we should adopt more humility. Well, if you believe that everyone is fully understood by each other (which, is demonstratably untrue) *or* if you believe that the responsibility lies completely with the reader, then there is no reason. Should you on the other hand accept the evidence that people do seem to misunderstand each other at times *and* if you agree that the blame does not fall solely on the reader then you should see how it follows from the desire for productive discussion. I do admit that the final premise was silent. My apologies if that caused confusion. > And why does your post seem ironically [sic.] to me? Not sure. Is that something I should know? It certainly wasn't intended to be ironic. Take care, Martin