Irony. What is irony? One definition is stated as this:
An irony or "ironic" thing is a literary device where there is a gap between what a speaker says and what is understood. So, now that we know what irony is. But, what irony really is... is funny. Funny as hell. Of course, it takes a rather quirky sense of humor to be able to appreciate the funniness of irony. A rather wry, some what twisted sense of humor. The writings of Jeff Vogel are a very good example of this... particularly his book called "The Poo Bomb". It's about his personal experience and perspective of raising his first child, a daughter. And, if you are a parent, irony abounds... everyday. If one is going to have kids, one better have a damned good sense of humor... or develop it very quickly, or you will go out of your mind dealing with even one small human who has a mind of their own, even if they don't quite know how to use it yet.
Another great example of irony is Alanis Morrisette's song, "Isn't it Ironic?" She had the idea of irony down pretty good when she sang about how an old guy won a million dollar lottery, but then the next day the old man died. Now, I know a lot of you couldn't see the rather dark humor in that statement, or in the song for that matter, but I found the song to be wonderfully, and deliciously funny. It showed the irony of just living life from day to day... and that even when sad, or bad, things happen that life still has a sense of humor about it or another irony example is what it is happening right now in the United States, the government decided to will a wall or fence so illegal immigrants would not cross to the country well who is building the fence? Illegal immigrants this is an irony.
Another excellent example of irony was an article I read several months ago about how a poacher died. He killed elephants for their tusks. One night this guy decided to break into a wild life refuge's animal hospital area to kill the sick elephant that had been brought in the day before figuring that it would be an easy way to get a chunk of change. Hah.
The elephant's problem was apparently constipation, and the medicine they gave the old fellow decided to take effect about this time. The poacher was trying to sneak up behind the elephant, trying to get close enough to pop it with a tranquilizer without making too much noise. As he got just behind the elephant, out gushed about 2 weeks worth of... well... crap.
The poacher was completely buried and smothered to death. Oh sweet irony! I laughed until my sides hurt.
A rather fitting "end" for a poacher.
Irony is very much similar to cynicism at it's best, and cynical humor is my favorite form of irony at it's best. Dennis Miller has that cynical, ironic, wry wit down to a tee. The man is brilliant with the way he can so smoothly convey an insult and so many of the callers to his talk show never catch on or realize, until perhaps a bit later that they've even been insulted.
Anyway, I think that by now you, the reader, have gotten a really good idea of just what irony is and how it shaped the way we view the world around us. So, the next time you walk up to a friend after you've been out working under a greasy car and getting oil splattered, or have been playing football in the mud with the guys and you come home to your wife and she says, "Well! Aren't you just a handsome sight!" You'll know she just used irony on you. Or, when your teenaged son or daughter comes home with a new Mohawk and several new piercing in various and sundry places you can say something like, "Hey! I didn't know the Rocky Horror Picture Show was showing!" Or, "Damn! I think you need a few more holes punch in your tongue son!" "No, really!"