How often does your sarcasm get you into trouble?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:39:16 -0500

Sarcasm, noun, def. The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

The word comes from the Greek, sarkasmos, def. To tear flesh, bite the lip in rage, sneer.

There are many uses for sarcasm, some meant to ridicule, banter, irony, aggression. It's meaning can taken many different ways; its interpretation is in the eyes of the receiver. It may be used subtlety, overtly, passive aggressive, homurously, to ridicule, mock, express rudeness, show contempt but is almost always caustic to one person or a group of persons. Is it appropriate in a military environment? Professional setting? What about sociably amongst friends?
Have you had to counsel for excessive use of sarcasm?
Give if examples if you may...

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 6:10 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:10:01 -0500

It becomes a huge issue for me since my face is not very expressive. So my sarcasm is often taken as serious statements and puts off the wrong people at the wrong time.
This is really fun in health care when I try to make a sarcastic joke to a patient and they take me seriously. Then I have to backpedal and explain my joke to them. They may or may not find it funny after that.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Dec 3 at 2014 6:34 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:34:50 -0500

People who know me know that sarcasm is my native language, so I have to make it a point to not be sarcastic when around those who don't know me well.

Response by SGT Edward Thomas made Dec 3 at 2014 7:37 PM

SGT Edward Thomas — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:37:58 -0500

Daily. But what can I say.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 7:38 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:38:25 -0500

Pretty consistently.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 8:11 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:11:44 -0500

I love sarcasm. Its like, going through "Opposite Day" every day.

*disclaimer: I actually wan't being sarcastic here. (!)

If you can exploit life's ironies with sharp, cynical wit...you are a hopeless fail.

*sarcasm*

And if the two cancel out, you are boring.

If you see what I did there, a thousand points for you. (Am I being sarcastic or not?)

Response by SPC David S. made Dec 3 at 2014 8:13 PM

SPC David S. — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:13:55 -0500

Just about ever time. FYI no matter what they say cops DO NOT have a sense of humor .

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Dec 3 at 2014 8:16 PM

CMSgt James Nolan — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:16:05 -0500

"That is the dumbest thing I have heard. Who came up with this crap?" Oh, it was you Chief, alrighty then.

Oh ya. I fall into the group that has had to ask the question "was that my outside voice?"

Sarcasm has a place. It is a skill to be able to use it, without getting into trouble with it.

Response by SFC Melker Johansson made Dec 3 at 2014 8:21 PM

SFC Melker Johansson — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:21:41 -0500

I got in trouble for my email response to a SNCO a few years back. He sent me an email correcting me on some deficiencies that he had observed. I sent him back an email explaining my actions, profusely apologizing, and promising corrective actions. Apparently he thought that I was extremely sarcastic in my response to him, so he complained to his OIC, who complained to my OIC. Upon review of my email response, neither my OIC nor my NCOIC could find anything disrespectful in what I wrote. It was very verbose and extremely polite almost to the point of excess, but nothing in it could be identified as being disrespectful.

I guess that I hurt his tender feelings by being too nice, too accommodating, and too apologetic.

Yes, I was being a little sarcastic in a very respectful way. ;-)

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Dec 3 at 2014 8:53 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:53:15 -0500

All.The.Time. Luckily, people take into account that I am an old fart...

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 8:53 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:53:29 -0500

I am terribly sarcastic. Also my natural expression appears to be an angry scowl so...I tend to just have a few close friends.

All are thick skinned saints and/or gluttons for punishment who stuck around long enough to understand I am just kidding.

People have told me that my wife mellowed me out some. Others say I've made my wife mean. *shrug*

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2014 10:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 22:05:15 -0500

At home, all the time.

Response by SFC Peter Cyprian made Dec 3 at 2014 10:12 PM

SFC Peter Cyprian — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 22:12:26 -0500

Oh let me count the ways! I am convinced that I would have retired as a CSM had it not been for me and my mouth! I always spoke my mind- in a professional manner. But I will tell you, there are some things that no matter how professional you are about saying them, it doesn't end well. Here's a few examples:

Situation- young SPC Cyprian working in a new commo shop. Now I was very good friends with the ITT rep for the SINCGARS program- so not only did I know that system from the military training I had gone through, I knew stuff about that radio that only the ITT people knew. I knew every circuit, every cable, every configuration. When installed in a track vehicle there is a surge suppression cable that goes in between the AM-1780 (old VIC 1 system) and the mounting base. I looked like some type of extension cable to the uneducated. The SFC that ran my new shop had every last one of them removed from all the tracked vehicles. Without this cable in place, the mounting base could surge the power relay on the 1780 and smoke it. I tried to explain to him that the cables needed to be placed back into the tracks (we already had 4 smoked 1780s at this point). After going round and round with him, this young SPC tells the SFC "I got my training from ITT, where the hell did you get yours??". You could have heard a pin drop....troops were popping smoke and hitting the exit so fast that they were damned near running each other over.

As much trouble as I got myself into with comments like that, you would think that I would learn....just call me SFC "Kick a bee's nest" Cyprian!

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made May 28 at 2017 8:26 PM

PVT Raymond Lopez — Sun, 28 May 2017 20:26:35 -0400

ALL THE DAMNED TIME! THE TROUBLE IS THAT I AM SO OLD THAT IT IS EXPECTED OF ME!

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Mar 6 at 2019 2:53 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 14:53:27 -0500

I was in a shop in a mall out in California...
I could tell by the price on the trinkets it was not within my paygrade.. it was a day I decided to wear the elephant leather
Boots I had made in Thailand anyway I decided to get out of there.. my heel seemed to be riding up in my boot so I stomped to get my foot back down in and the snooty woman told me don’t be stomping by cow pies off in her shop.
I said “it’d be an improvement !” and got out of the store and moved on down the
Row of stores...