Ditch the Sarcasm

Earlier this week, US Senator Chris Murphy sent X into a frenzy with what he is now calling a sarcastic post. His reply — “Awesome” — to a post about an Iranian fleet bypassing a US blockade led many to ask, reasonably enough, why he appeared to be supporting Iran.

When pressed on the uproar, Murphy acknowledged that he “should probably give up on sarcasm.”

Which raises a fair question: should anyone use sarcasm? A few things to consider:

Know the difference between a joke and sarcasm. A clear joke lands differently than a sarcastic remark. If you’re going to be funny, make sure it’s appropriate for the moment — and that you’re actually funny. Test your material on someone else before going public. Leave the improvised one-liners to comedians.

Sarcasm rarely works in public settings. Two reasons: first, brevity strips away context — an X post rarely gives readers enough information to know you’re joking. Second, people who don’t know you personally can’t read your tone. The last thing you want is for your audience to think you’re agreeing with something when you’re doing the opposite.

If you insist on sarcasm, signal it clearly. The safest move is simply to tell your audience you’re being sarcastic. It kills the subtlety, but it also kills the confusion.