Home | January 27, 2008 - February 2, 2008 »

Week of February 5, 2006 - February 11, 2006

The Left Does Snark Better


Recent posts by Josh Marshall (Randy Duke Worksheet) and Kevin Drum (Bold. New. Look.) just illustrate a larger meme. The left is just better at snark.

Now snark is a contentiously defined thing, of course. Is it The Onion/John Stewart wing? Is it 'joking' nuke-em-all, let God sort 'em out jibes from Instawhoseewhatsit, et. al.? Is it ass-fucking remarks from Wonkette? Is it James Wolcott's carefully worded nuclear bombs? Is it Atrios' "preznit?"

Snark is really just satire in the modern age methinks. It's cyber-satire to be more precise. And I think the left (broadly defined, of course) is just better at it.

I imagine some clever sociologist could make hay out of the broader assumtions of what it means to be "right" or "left" in America. I also do not deny the comedic ability of folks on the "right" - personally, I think Larry, The Cable Guy is funny. But that just veers into "what's funny" territory.

No, snark is more of a community thing. It seems to have more to do with the ability to be on the "now" of things and poke holes in others arguments in a way that's both funny and incisive.

And I think the left blogosphere is just better at it. We may be a fractured bunch, but Sweet Jeebus, our non-monolithic message allows a certain comedic genius.

Just saying.

*Windows2000 has just decided that my ability to copy/paste should be dis-allowed. Hence no links to said snarkery.

Sigh.

Windows. Is there nothing it can't do?

Home | January 27, 2008 - February 2, 2008 »

BettyCrow

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