Instead of automatically reacting with sarcasm

or trying to be clever, think again.

Will our wit ridicule another?

Will our sarcasm harm the listener?

For varied reasons, ranging from wanting to make others laugh to being considered witty, we can find ourselves using sarcasm. But what is sarcasm? Yet another manifestation of anger.

We may view ourselves as amusing, but we’re just being unkind in belittling another person or some situation. There’s a valid reason the Greeks defined sarcasm as “tearing flesh.”

Before glibly tossing out another sarcastic quip, we need to figure out why we feel inclined to do so.

So others will laugh?

Think us sophisticated with our rapier wit? Surely, we can find a way to cheer people up or impress them with our humor without resorting to disrespect and ridicule.

And if we really are clever, we will realize that our sharp remarks nurture tension in others on a subtle level as well as plant seeds for our own future belittlement.