The Hunting Of the Snark

[wingsmith]

 
Props to Sarah Rees Brennan for making me think about this: theblackarts.com/sarahreesbrennan.com/personal-blog-2/

Snark. Its everywhere. We love it. It's more fun than a monkey on a space hopper.

Sarcastic mockery is a religion in some regions of the net. It's more popular than Barack Obama. Its more popular than* hope* dude. Righteous Anger and

Comments

[zoecb]

I am not a fan of snark or its worshippers.
It's the lowest form of wit imo.

Attacking is so easy and defending is so hard, but snarkers wouldn't know about that as they have no hearts with which to love something enough to defend it from snarkers.

I am glad you posted this. It is good to disclaim snark as something to only be used in tiny moderation, and ignoring things into obscurity as the correct way to disapprove.

[alittlebriton]

Sometimes, admittedly, we snark because we want then to stop writing, or singing, or blogging or whatever. Sometimes it is so bad, we just have to kill the dream dead before they continue to make an ass of themselves. Doing it nicely only encourages them, sometimes. Plus, occasionally, people need taking down a peg or two. I know I have in the past and people have snarked and I have learned and become a better person.

[wingsmith]

The trouble with that argument is, *everyone* starts off shit. Its just that some people share earlier than maybe they ought to. Doesn't mean they should be discouraged from doing whatever it is that they do, it probably means they should work harder at it and get better

[sumitsays]

Snarking is bullshit. If you want to prove your cleverness, make something good. If someone else has made something good, recommend it to your friends. If someone has made something bad, ignore it and move on. Life is too short and the world is too full of noise already.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snark-David-Denby/dp/0330511378/

Gosh, I'm a grumpy arse tonight!

[zoecb]

"Snarking is bullshit. If you want to prove your cleverness, make something good."

Hear hear.

[wingsmith]

I do agree, but then what Charlie Brooker does is technically snarking, as is a lot of political satire. Sometimes its valid, but mostly, I agree its just snide puppy-stomping against people who actually have the temerity to risk trying to make something.

[zoecb]

I have not actually read much Charlie Brooker and I don't even know if I would like him!

[sumitsays]

This has done the rounds pretty comprehensively, but it rather closes the circle. Charlie Brooker tires of snarking:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/oct/16/charlie-brooker-leaving-screen-burn