Understanding the Sarcastic Man

What would I have done if I wasn’t sarcastic! The thought scares me.. 

Ofcourse you must be thinking that someone who can write that, must be the most arrogant, self obsessed man that people should rather die before  than meet. Not that I haven’t got similar vibes before. It’s tough living the life of a sarcastic man. But its tougher living the life of someone who’s not. Imagine having a public verbal duel with someone. The man opposite you is calling you the dirtiest of names, screaming in a fit of rage. All you do in return is maintain your composure and say, “I wish you the best for life, cos someone as decent, well mannered and controlled deserves nothing less”. A reply like that would give you two advantages. You instantly garner the sympathy and attention of the onlookers. So even if it is your fault, you earn a handsome share of brownie points. The second advantage is that your hyperventilating opponent gets even more angry. Why? Cos you don’t even flinch, while all that energy and vocabulary of his were being washed down the drain. Here you need to understand the psyche of people who get into fights. Their primary motivation in doing so is not just to prove themselves right, but to also piss you off, hurt you, and incense you so much that you say/do something that you will regret later. Sarcasm allows you to prevent all of that, not to mention, helps keep your blood pressure in control. Meanwhile your seething, bursting, abuse-hurling rival might just shoot past the tolerable levels of stress, and if you’re lucky, kick the bucket for good. You are hardly exhausted after the exchange, your reputation intact. Magic!!

Not that it does not have its drawbacks. Ask me. The first impression the Sarcastic Man makes on others is not always the best one. He runs the risk of coming across as an arrogant, presumptuous pig. Primarily because  people in general lack sense of humour, and it takes two to make sarcasm work. It pains so much when sarcasm goes unrecognized, which also brings us to a very fundamental characteristic of the quintessential Sarcastic Man. He treats his sarcasm as a venerable art form. And just like any artist is pained when his art isn’t appreciated by people in general, his soul cries out for appreciation and recognition. Then what’s the difference between an attention seeking person and a sarcastic one, you might ask. An attention seeking person is one who wants to be the cynosure of all eyes at any cost. The sarcastic man, on the other hand, is fundamentally intelligent. He wants recognition for only the best of his ‘lines’, and he knows which ones have passed the bar. He’s not an attention seeking person, but one who seeks appreciation. There's a difference. So next time you come across the Sarcastic Man, brush up your rusted sense of humour, and have some fun.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is that the Sarcastic Man is not always sarcastic. He can also be genuine. Sarcasm is just his escape route for avoiding complications. If he’s complimenting you or your work, don’t always doubt him. Try and read the tone right. He can be more than just mean you know. He’s a regular guy like everyone else capable of being nice too. So sometimes, just cut him some slack. But again, don’t take everything on face value. In other words use your head and be on your toes at all times, when you’re with him. He’ll only make you smarter. So all you poor little humour-deprived dimwits out there, don’t you worry. Cos the Sarcastic Man is here!! And in case you’re still scratching your head; Yes! He’ll save the world too!!