IRONY

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                      "Ironic" - ALANIS MORISSETTE

What then is 'irony'? "Irony is a form of utterance that postulates a double audience,
consisting of one party that hearing shall hear & shall not understand, & another party that, when more is meant than meets the ear, is aware both of that more & of the outsiders’ incomprehension." [H. W. Fowler in Modern English Usage] The irony of this statement is
that it does not hold true for most cases as Modern English Usage is a book from 1939, reprinted in 1959 and we'd all agree the world and the language of the world has all but changed from then. The whole point of irony (if there is at all any) is that it is rooted in the time-space continium. A critique of something that exists now or existed in the past in the form of acceptance of the subject- with undertone of disregard, contempt, or sarcasm. The question is where does irony end and cynicism take over. Of course one may say that they
are one and the same thing (and I will disagree), but as far as irony is concerned - it does require a greater understanding of the world around, for only then can one question and resort to this form of criticism. A cynic will criticise and hold the other in contempt 
regardless of his or her own understanding of the subject for one is then rooted in the arogance that, what one knows is beyond judgemnt or question- by any party- especially
one seemingly less equipped than him or her.

The reason I choose this topic today, is because I see Irony & Cynicism taking over our world today- in our thoughts, words and actions. We do not believe in what we say, and do not say what we truly believe. We hear sincere words and question the speaker's validity; pass judgement on the human race- forgetting we are part of it. A quest to prove ourselves superior has led to a facade of near-blind belief in the Supremacy of 'I, Me and My Life'. 
We forget we are also 'We', for without 'We', we do not exist- our lives are empty dreams, 
our reasons are scattered, our words are but false. There is war going on - a battle of thought
 and ideals.  We feel that, well 'my words do not count. I may just say something about someone- especially about those who I do not like or who do not confirm to
 my belief system and what difference will it make.' Well it does make a difference. Therein lies the roots of Dogmatism- and gives rise to the great Evil of Fanaticism. There is a battle going on in the world today- against igonrance, against devilish irony. What do We do?

Who do we trust- what do we believe in and where do our beliefs lead us? "Language is our chief means for the expression and communication of thought. Thoughts and beliefs may reveal themselves in non-linguistic behaviour,
but they are only directly expressed linguistically. Without thought
there could be no language, but without language, most kinds of thought would be impossible." [Henry Laycock, Queen’s University, Canada]

It is important for us to develop our thought- our language of expression- polish ourselves, so to speak- make sure we are heard and understood, and really really make sure we understand each person right. There are situations we can't avoid, but how we tackle them will be the key to making this world a safer place to live in. Maybe I am not the person you should listen to-
at least listen to the person next to you and listen to yourself- at least listen.

"...an article in Slate, Microsoft's on-line magazine" talks of  "a poignant little story by Michael Hirschorn about his struggle to achieve freedom from irony. He had come to the mournful conclusion that, in this period of history, irony promotes emotional dishonesty. He was giving it up, the way others give up cigarettes or alcohol. He wrote about trying to achieve sincerity by responding honestly to all questions and by actually enjoying (rather than sneering at) culture and humanity."

This is often called an age of irony, and certainly public life is coloured by what Samuel Johnson defined as: 'A mode of speech in which the meaning is contrary to the words.'
Recent careers have been built on irony, such as David Letterman's and Jerry Seinfeld's.
But, of course, irony has been with us since antiquity. Anatole France, who won the 1921 Nobel Prize for literature, claimed that a world without irony would be like a forest without birds: 'Irony is the gaiety of meditation and the joy of wisdom.' Irony, both a figure of speech and a way of looking at the world, lay beneath Jane Austen's style and gave Socrates his way of teaching. Shakespeare made Mark Antony the theatre's most famous ironist by having him call Julius Caesar's assassins 'honourable men,' meaning they were dishonourable men. Almost anyone in the United States who says 'I believe the president' is an ironist."

That's just the problem, according to the new irony police: It makes cynics of us all. We are irony-oppressed. Mockery has become a way of life (in the Elizabethan era, irony was sometimes called 'drye mocke'). It's elitist, too: It depends on double meaning and a double audience, divided into those who understand and those who don't. It corrodes honest speech and honest feeling while encouraging greed and cruelty. Irony, its enemies say, is private, selfish and indifferent, while earnestness is public, generous and concerned. For those who dislike the tone of life as we live it now, irony has become a villain."
 
Not long ago, a piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune said irony is "crippling" the youth of America. Novelist David Foster Wallace has argued, in the Review of Contemporary Fiction, that irony is an agent of 'great despair and stasis in U.S. culture.' He blames television: People love or need television, and yet hate it at the same time, so they "try to disinfect themselves . . . by watching TV with weary irony."

In the book, 'For Common Things: Irony, Trust, and Commitment in America Today' Jedediah Purdy, tries nothing less than an attempt to alter the spirit of the times. Irony, says Purdy, makes us incapable of expressing sincere feelings or trusting in the feelings of others: "The point of irony is a quiet refusal to believe in the depths of relationships, the sincerity of motivation, or the truth of speech -- especially earnest speech."

Purdy admires the great ironists, such as Michel de Montaigne (who identified solemn self-righteousness as a major cause of war), Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain. But he believes that the prevalent contemporary form of irony cripples us, particularly young people, by draining words of meaning and moral weight. Purdy believes the current wave of irony originates in fear -- 'fear of betrayal, disappointment and humiliation, and a suspicion that believing, hoping, or caring too much will open us to these.' He keeps reaching for epigrams, but never quite gets there: 'The ironic sensibility inhibits the act of remembering how to value what you value.' Still, he makes a few points well. In the individual given to irony, 'wariness becomes a mistrust of language itself. He disowns his own words."

Insightful that his is, "for his part, Purdy seems unable to see the difference between irony and cheap cynicism. Purdy's intentions are honourable, and his perspective promising, but he writes with enough self-importance to give sincerity a bad name." [Robert Fulford's column about irony, Globe and Mail, September 18, 1999]

For me cynicysm is a drink spiked with poison- eating at our emotions and our sense of sincerity and free will. Irony- well you make out what you will. We look at contradictions and say- 'well what was it you were talkin about?' I say contradictions WILL be there. People WILL differ in their opinions- that's what makes us human. I believe we need to reach out more- see more- feel more. If even then we feel the world's such an ironical place to live in, well we're in for not-so-good a time in the not-so-far future. And if we come to realise that, yes, maybe, just maybe with a bit of effort, a bit of compassion and a bit of serious reconsideration of our own ideals and beliefs we can actually enjoy the world we live in- in spite of its seeming contradictions- well isn't that what'heaven' is all about?


Thanks to anyone who actually read the entire thing.
Ain't that ironical that I write a blog for all to read without at all expecting anyone to actually to do so!
Adios