What purpose does Irony serve?

Question

Irony can be found everywhere if your eyes are open to it, but why do we feel the need to embrace it and laugh at it? Or do you feel it annoys you?

Answer 1

I like irony, I usualy laugh.

Irony helps us to not take things too seriously, cos any thing can happen. Plus it can help difuse a situation when it becomes ironic, if everyone finds it funny.

I have to ask, do you find it funny or annoying?

Answer 2

Irony is not just for humour purposes, it has other applications as well.
Thinking about your question in a slightly different way - why use irony as opposed to another form of expression? Well, obviously the humour that can result can be useful. People tend to be more receptive to an argument delivered with a dose of humour.
Also irony can give the sense that not only ar you presenting an opposing argument, but also mocking the argument you are opposing.

Irony also has some more sophisticated uses. To give an example we have Plato's Republic. In this Socrates appears to succesfully argue for a Spartan-like city state run by philosopher kings. The irony of this is that this argument seems to say that 'the city state should be totalitarian, and I myself should be king'.
This is an example of sophisicated irony because not only is the argument questionable (we get a sense that the constant inquiry of Socratic philospher would actually reject being king and even if they took the role on would question statutes until they fall apart), but also we find much moral argument questionable. Socrates manages to make a bad argument, that would deliver him personally a greater amount of personal power, sound good and makes those around him accept it, perhaps this is the process by which we decide on many 'good' things.

In short irony provides the means to say more than one thing at once. Irony can provide a many pronged argument with but a single sentence.

Answer 3

Irony serves the useful purpose of making one humble.
It helps us understand that we cannot take life too seriously and that you really can't control everything, or maybe most things. I believe these lessons allow human beings to better respect and relate to one another.

I think this is lost on the person who commented that Americans don't understand irony. I am a Californian and understand irony very well. This type of comment is counterproductive and seems to be somewhat intolerant. Tolerance is the state of respecting other human beings and relating to them as equals. See above for the irony of this.

Answer 4

Can I just say that sometimes (all religions) Christians included call being rejected or being put down as persecuted. We are not persecuted like the church was persecuted. Now in China and in Muslim countries the Christians are being tortured and put to death just for preaching the name of Jesus. THIS is persecution. Often times and myself not excluded we get passionate about a topic and then face opposition. Sometimes it's our attitude that we didn't have in check, or our facts about what we were speaking about that we fell short on explaining or knowing well enough to explain. So we get mocked and we get called a hypocrite. This is NOT persecution, this is stupidity. If I stick my foot in my mouth and someone tells me off... I earned that. I can't justifiably say "Well they hate me because I am doing the work of the Lord" NO! in fact I am doing Christ a disservice by acting stupid when I am supposed to be representing Him. Sorry to rant lol... but REAL persecution sends a message that you are serious about your commitment to serve Christ and love others even to the point of death. "Greater love hath no man that he lay down his life for a friend" We all need to be prepared to do so

Answer 5

Tonight there will be

Purpose l'Orange
Purpose Primavera
Purpose fra Diavolo
Fried Purpose with a side of Free Will Slaw

Answer 6

Irony allows us to see things in proper perspective. I think the idea is to let go of certain things, NOT to embrace them. Sometimes it hurts to let go, hence the term tragic irony.

Answer 7

Irony does for us what comedians do, it gives us an alternative way of looking at what we think is reality, thus slightly unnerving us, which we like! That in turn should make us less stiff about our opinions.

Answer 8

Irony allows me to laugh away the fear and anger, it also shows me not to take life to seriously.

Answer 9

r u american by any chance? you have to laugh at irony either that or cry, cos most of the time it relates to bad stuff

Answer 10

how boring and monotonous life would be without irony,i choose to consider it a blessing