When did "we" lose the ability to detect sarcasm?

[TwilightZone]

Especially really, really obvious sarcasm:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=2043760

The context is five years ago, when the NY Times was putting in their much-maligned internet paywall and the internet went nuts. The tweeter is Neera Tanden, now a Clinton appointee to the platform committee.

To me, it's obviously a sarcastic joke and a poke at the NYT, and yet, nearly the entire thread full of Sanders supporters is taking it completely literally. So, I guess she's for an individual mandate *and* thinks everyone's a freeloader. Uh, huh.

Sarcasm is basically my default emotion, so maybe it just seems obvious to me. Thoughts?

[GusBob]

1. Self righteous types have no sense of humor

Nor common sense

Everything is a knee jerk response

[johnp3907]

2. Around the same time "we" started calling a 70something career politician an outsider.

And called trying to elect said politician president a "revolution."

[fleabiscuit]

5. Yeppers

[TwilightZone]

8. Yes. He's also anti-establishment even though he's been part of it most of his adult life.

The only guy less likely to lead a revolution was Ron Paul.

[BootinUp]

3. Thats just the tip of iceberg around here, not much reasoning ability to be found. nt

[anotherproletariat]

4. I use sarcasm almost exclusively on GDP, but never use the emoji...just to see who gets it.

I figure that the entire GDP is sarcastic anyway.

[TwilightZone]

9. I can only hope it is.

Please, oh, please, oh, please. lol

[spooky3]

6. I used to believe that right wingers had trouble

With humor and sarcasm. Now I wonder if it's something else...

[rock]

7. The problem is without tonal clues (prosody)

The statements are exactly the same whether you're being sarcastic or not. Then there's the most audacious pronouncements in the history of mankind. Finally, the BSers are absolutely devoid of humor and the ability to 'get' sarcasm (unless you spell it out. You may enjoy this link.

[TwilightZone]

10. Yeah, I get that. In this case, only part of it was really sarcasm and the context and

contrast should have made it kind of obvious, so I think the "devoid of humor" option probably applies. I'm pretty sure I'm putting way too much thought into this. lol

I know this is kind of minor compared to what usually floats around GDP, but it just seemed indicative of just how far this place has fallen, of late. I find myself hoping that a lot of these posters really are just some of the Trump trolls we keep hearing so much about. The (un?)intentional obtuseness is getting a little old.

I have seen that video. It certainly fits. Maybe it should be the official video of GDP. "It's a thing I'm trying out!"

[rock]

11. I find your analysis spot on

So I don't think you're wasting your time and effort. Keep trying out the thing!

[TwilightZone]

12. Thanks

At heart, I'm a realist, if a sarcastic one. Ignorance of reality, particularly the intentional kind, kind of drives me batty.

Which is partly why I'm a Hillary fan and always have been. She's nothing if not a realist. Even an occasionally sarcastic one.