A psychologist explains why the dark humor around Mangione’s case isn’t evidence of nihilism but of what happens when demands for moral seriousness stop feeling credible.
Articles on Irony
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A psychologist explains why dark political humor doesn’t prove young people are nihilistic, but rather reveals what happens when moral seriousness no longer feels credible.
In the early 2000s, Jon Stewart perfected the art of ironic satire, playfully critiquing politicians, political institutions, the press and the public. What’s his role now?
Do the show’s fans secretly identify with the characters’ pursuit of power and pleasure?
Norman Daly’s 1972 exhibition, ‘The Civilization of Llhuros,’ presented fiction as fact – and reminded viewers of just how easily they could be duped.
Irony is linked to the ability to say one thing while thinking another – which means it’s also intrinsic to being human. What does new research into artificial intelligence and irony reveal?
Kate Grenville suggests we read Elizabeth Macarthur’s letters as ‘a wonderful piece of fiction, sustained over sixty years’. They were exercises in doubleness, concealment, and delicious irony.
A teacher was fired this month for reading his favourite picture book, I Need a New Butt, to kids. It’s an example of how US conservatives are focusing on school boards as weapons in the culture wars.
Memes that promote harmful conspiracies and memes that mock them are sometimes hard to distinguish.
Because sarcasm is often difficult to discern and improperly used, it can operate as a linguistic mulligan. But deploy the excuse too much, and you might raise some eyebrows.
Irony is a slippery concept. Sometimes it’s used in speech, other times it’s used to describe a situation – oh, and it can also characterize an attitude. Is its versatility its downfall?
Long known as a spectacle of quirky Euro-kitsch, this year’s contest more closely resembled singing TV shows such as The Voice. Notable exceptions, however, were Iceland’s Hatari and our own Kate Miller-Heidke.
Sarcasm thrives in ambiguous situations, which makes it especially ripe for misinterpretation.
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In this episode of the podcast, we take in the history of Victorian humour, why kids find poo so hilarious and whether academics should try and be funny.
Sometimes people like poetic justice because the law is not in a position to mete out what is deserved.
Irony can provide new theoretical insights. Social scientists should embrace it.
Top contributors
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Professor in Professional Education and Leadership, School of Social Sciences, University of Stirling., University of Stirling
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Roger J. Kreuz is a Friend of The Conversation.
Associate Dean and Feinstone Interdisciplinary Research Professor, University of Memphis
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Assistant Professor of Experimental Psychology, Utah Valley University
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Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology & Psychopathology, University of Leeds
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Senior Clinical Lecturer in Child Psychiatry, University of Aberdeen
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Associate Professor of Psychology, Newberry College
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PhD Candidate, University of Leeds; Independent Social Research Foundation
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Chancellor’s Professor of Art, University of Tennessee
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Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Bath
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Senior Lecturer, School of the Arts & Media, UNSW
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Continuing Lecturer in Writing, University of California, Santa Barbara
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Associate Professor, School of Arts, Western Sydney University
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Associate Professor (Literature), Australian Catholic University
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Professor of Communication and Political Science, University of Delaware
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The University of Melbourne