Is sarcasm widespread in Poland?

I can't stand sarcasm anymore, it's so overused and abused here in New York by people that think they're being clever, and often used as a shield by the highly insecure and immature. I was telling someone how during my time living in Poland one of the refreshing things was the lack of sarcasm - I felt like conversation was more earnest and straightforward, but turns out that person is Polish-American and disagreed that in her family, sarcasm is out of control and that she always attributed that fact to being Polish....

Any thoughts?

Sarcasm is widespread in Poland but is considered impolite.

Jokes are considered inappropriate in Poland. Nobody jokes or smiles in public. It is a sign of weakness. Humour is not allowed.

Nice try, troll ;-p

you do know he is joking, right?

He was merely trying his sarcasm :)

Bah-hahahah

Dear Magda, please watch this short clip.

youtube.com/watch?v=Q27YiPRiewg

Hugs,
Smurf
xoxo

Well I know that's not true, you can joke a lot without being sarcastic - but I always thought of polish culture as being more earnest than sarcastic.

It really depends on what people you come across.

Ahh I do love sarcasm.


Indeed, well sure as the saying goes, "Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit...but the highest form of intelligence"

So you can say from your experience in Poland, since you encountered no sarcasm, than people were neither intelligent nor humorous?
That cannot be, can it?
Am I being sarcastic? It's difficult to tell when only reading isn't it? (^_^)

I agree tho, people aren't as sarcastic here as back where I'm from. But I find that when I meet Poles who've lived in Ireland or the uk, they 'get' my jokes far more than those who haven't travelled. I think humour in general is a bit 'stuck' here. Things like mother-in-law jokes are still common and stand-up comedy is almost non-existent. I don't know how many people I've spoken to who had no idea that Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams et al, were hilarious stand up comedians before they became film stars.

I find the humour here is less self-deprecating, like in English speaking countries, the focus of most jokes is on making a subject, or yourself look funny, or stupid, but here it's usually about someone else appearing stupid/funny, it's not unfunny, it's just different to what I'm used to personally.

talking from self experience?

You do know what ;-p means, right? ;-P

No, he isn`t yet. But he didn`t know what sarcasm is, and that`s as bad as trolling. :):)


That`s a poor excuse. Your jokes are completetely flat and stale to everybody, no matter if they travel or not. :):)


Don`t be silly. We don`t need stand up comedy so much (though it is available) as we have excellent cabarets with long standing tradition. Better check them out before you discuss this type of entertainment next time. :):)

No, we Slavic peasants are too stupid for sarcasm ^__^


No idea ;) It probably depends.


True :)
I still remember my favourite cabaret from the 90's :)

The Anglophonic penchant for disingenous self-deprecation is hilariously summed up in the following anecdote about Thomas Mann when he was living here in Southern California.

Mann was at a cocktail party and an American writer approached him, presumably to discuss literature, but before the American began he launched into a lengthy paroxysm of self-deprecation. After the American writer left Mann turned to the others present and said "Why does he make himself so small? He's not that big!"

Your command of English is almost as good as your 'jokes' (^_^)


Excuse? I don't need an excuse.


Ahhh, why can't you just be nice Paw, you're always so mean to us foreigners that live in your country. Why hate on us so much?


oxymoron


Seems legit :P

I think he's only mean to people like you :)


Smurf, why do you consider it an oxymoron?


Good one ;D

You will never attain such a good command of Polish as I have attained of English. :):):)


Come on, are you really sillier than I thought?? :):):) I have nothing against foreigners on condition they are a useful asset to this forum and are able to contribute sth valuable. You are certainly not the case.


He doesn`t understand what he is saying, actually. A good illustration of what I have said above: a very poor asset, indeed.

It's such a useful language, spoken across the globe, how will I live without it? :P


Good comeback Paw. *slowclap


AH, I know what happened, I reset my cookies and the ignore button reset too.

Bye

Yet, you are staying in Poland, as you hinted.


Like a child in the sandbox.....

What I do love about this country is how people can take the pi$$ out of themselves, y'know not take things too seriously. <------- sarcasm right there boyo.

Get over yourself Paw, what's it like in on your high horse? Lonely I bet ;)


Exactly, that is correct.
You win!
youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fGjOsfV3ar8

Sorry, my command of English isn`t so good as to understand that white trash slang. I was born, brought up and educated in Krakow, not in some fekking slums. :):):) :):):) Then I studied Shakespeare and a few others at the university. :):):):)

I don't get it... :( Is it supposed to be funny, self-deprecating or sarcasm? :)))


Are you from New York, smurf? :P
:))

That's OK, you'll get there. I'll never be as good at Polish, that's true, I'd rather speak po slasku anyway, far easier, less grammar/cases etc. :P


Good for you, I'm more of a Chaucer kind of guy myself, but old Billy did certainly have some charming sonnets and plays.

I didn`t like his stuff, too much work with Old English-English translation.

Yea, it's tough going......and I'd to do it in secondary school too. Hardcore sh!t, didn't like it at the time, but had to go back to it during uni and the 2nd time round I really got into it.

Peace.

Yes! Excellent idea. Let`s make peace, not war.