By DAN HURLEY
New York Times
Published: June 3, 2008
There was nothing very interesting in Katherine P. Rankin’s study of sarcasm — at least, nothing worth your important time. All she did was use an M.R.I. to find the place in the brain where the ability to detect sarcasm resides. But then, you probably already knew it was in the right parahippocampal gyrus.
What you may not have realized is that perceiving sarcasm, the smirking put-down that buries its barb by stating the opposite, requires a nifty mental trick that lies at the heart of social relations: figuring out what others are thinking. Those who lose the ability, whether through a head injury or the frontotemporal dementias afflicting the patients in Dr. Rankin’s study, just do not get it when someone says during a hurricane, “Nice weather we’re having.”
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The Science of Sarcasm (Not That You Care) Why we smirk
#1
Posted 2008-June-04, 05:21
If you lose all hope, you can always find it again -- Richard Ford in The Sportswriter
#2
Posted 2008-June-04, 10:13
Yeah, right. We're supposed to believe her just because she's a neuroscientist?
#3
Posted 2008-June-04, 12:42
And that would be short for neuroticscientist....(This is the sarcasm thread, no?)
The Grand Design, reflected in the face of Chaos...it's a fluke!
#5
Posted 2008-June-04, 16:15
matmat, on Jun 4 2008, 05:05 PM, said:
which part of the brain does stupidity live in?
Only those smart enough, know.
(We are an a roll.... but no direct insults, please, I get enough of those in real life (that was sarcasm too....or was it....?)
The Grand Design, reflected in the face of Chaos...it's a fluke!
#6
Posted 2008-June-04, 17:19
matmat, on Jun 4 2008, 05:05 PM, said:
which part of the brain does stupidity live in?
Let me give you a clue, Einstein - look a lot lower than the brain and for a smaller head.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
#7
Posted 2008-June-04, 20:32
Winstonm, on Jun 4 2008, 06:19 PM, said:
matmat, on Jun 4 2008, 05:05 PM, said:
which part of the brain does stupidity live in?
Let me give you a clue, Einstein - look a lot lower than the brain and for a smaller head.
No, THAT would be inspiration....lol
The Grand Design, reflected in the face of Chaos...it's a fluke!
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