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Irony

Unspoken Demise

Unspoken Demise

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 16, 2009
3,691
1
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I cannot stand when people confuse irony with coincidence.
Alanis Morissette's whole "Ironic" song makes my blood boil.

So, the purpose of this thread is:

When people confuse coincidence and irony, what are some examples you give them to try and define it? I can NEVER think of one when presented with a situation in which I need to explain it.

This is the best one I can think of right now, and this thread was inspired by it:

Phoenix man killed in gun-safety demo
Ironicly reposted by ajthomason ;)
 
I agree about people thinking coincidence is irony.
It annoys me too.


The song also mad me mad, until one day I had the thought that maybe the point was that the song as a whole is ironic.
 
As an English teacher, I find irony somewhat difficult to teach. Mind you, I've taught it to 7th,8th, and 9th graders.

I generally use a powerpoint with comic strips. My favorite example depicts what is called "situational irony". The comic strip shows an event where a man has been seemingly stranded in the desert for days looking for water. He meets his untimely death when he is ran over by a water truck while crossing a road. :D
 
Jschultz said:
As an English teacher, I find irony somewhat difficult to teach. Mind you, I've taught it to 7th,8th, and 9th graders.

I generally use a powerpoint with comic strips. My favorite example depicts what is called "situational irony". The comic strip shows an event where a man has been seemingly stranded in the desert for days looking for water. He meets his untimely death when he is ran over by a water truck while crossing a road. :D
Click to expand...


Perfect example! Good job! I wish more kids took your class!

patrick0brien said:
Perhaps one reason the difference can be confused is that there are situations where the coincidence is ironic.
Click to expand...

Yes, sometimes it is. But I'm talking about those times where it is blatantly not irony at all. So blatant you stop in your tracks and try and correct them.

bartelby said:
I agree about people thinking coincidence is irony.
It annoys me too.


The song also mad me mad, until one day I had the thought that maybe the point was that the song as a whole is ironic.
Click to expand...

Oh man, you blew my mind.
 
Jschultz said:
My favorite example depicts what is called "situational irony". The comic strip shows an event where a man has been seemingly stranded in the desert for days looking for water. He meets his untimely death when he is ran over by a water truck while crossing a road. :D
Click to expand...

Is that not still just coincidence?
 
OMG I thought I was the only one who hated that song for that reason! Seems like everyone I try to explain it to doesn't get it - that the countless things she mentions in the song are anywhere from annoying to tragic, but not ironic.

I looked on Wikipedia and found what I think are two great examples of irony:

When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire was partially responsible for his being shot.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a story whose plot revolves around irony. Dorothy travels to a wizard and fulfills her challenging demands to go home, before discovering she had the ability to go back home all the time. The Scarecrow longs for intelligence, only to discover he is already a genius, and the Tin Woodsman longs to be capable of love, only to discover he already has a heart. The Lion, who at first appears to be a whimpering coward, turns out to be bold and fearless. The people in Emerald City believe the Wizard to have been a powerful deity, only to discover he was a bumbling eccentric old man.
Click to expand...
 
ha! You did start the thread! :D

Where is my credit for suggesting it? ;)

edit: OK, i see your link back to that thread. all is well. :p
 
Tomorrow said:
I looked on Wikipedia and found what I think are two great examples of irony:
Click to expand...

The Reagan one is a brilliant example!


The guy in the desert example was killed by a truck that coincidentally was transporting water.
 
bartelby said:
The Reagan one is a brilliant example!


The guy in the desert example was killed by a truck.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I like that one too.
I think its irony.
However if im wrong
Then I started a thread about how I hate peopple who think something is irony and its not
Then said something is irony and it wasnt

OH THE IRONY!
 
iShater said:
And the truck couldn't stop in time because of the inertia of it carrying water.
Click to expand...

But the truck still killed him, or he died as a result of the injuries.

If he'd drowned however... (just beat me there themoonisdown09)

Or even died from hyper-hydration
 
bartelby said:
But the truck still killed him, or he died as a result of the injuries.

If he'd drowned however...

Or even died from hyper-hydration
Click to expand...

I think you're focusing on the truck itself, and not the fact it was carrying water. If it were a truck full of Macbooks, no irony is to be found. However, it's a truck containing water, and instead of the water nourishing life, it takes away. See where I'm coming from?
 
Unspoken Demise said:
I cannot stand when people confuse irony with coincidence.
Alanis Morissette's whole "Ironic" song makes my blood boil.

So, the purpose of this thread is:

When people confuse coincidence and irony, what are some examples you give them to try and define it? I can NEVER think of one when presented with a situation in which I need to explain it.

This is the best one I can think of right now, and this thread was inspired by it:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/704412/
Click to expand...

If I went the rest of my life without hearing that god awful song mentioned, it wouldn't have been long enough ;)
 
Jschultz said:
I think you're focusing on the truck itself, and not the fact it was carrying water. If it were a truck full of Macbooks, no irony is to be found. However, it's a truck containing water, and instead of the water nourishing life, it takes away. See where I'm coming from?
Click to expand...

But to everyone against that example's validity, they will tell you that the truck killed him and the water in it is inconsequential.

And I love how you said a truck full of macbooks. I love this forum.
 
Jschultz said:
I think you're focusing on the truck itself, and not the fact it was carrying water. If it were a truck full of Macbooks, no irony is to be found. However, it's a truck containing water, and instead of the water nourishing life, it takes away. See where I'm coming from?
Click to expand...

I understand, but it doesn't cross the blurry coincidence/irony line enough for me.
:eek:
 
bartelby said:
Still coincidence.

The water that he needed to survive has to directly kill him.
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced that an event being a coincidence necessarily means it isn't ironic.

Thirsty man killed by a water truck = ironic coincidence
Thirsty man killed by an empty truck = coincidence
 
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