Tuesday, July 01, 2003

Depends On the Meaning of Ironic: An remarkably witty article on irony in the Guardian Unlimited. I apologize in advance for the lurid language.

But other strands of media use irony to assert their right to have no position whatsoever. So, you take a cover of FHM, with tits on the front - and it's ironic because it appears to be saying "women are objects", yet of course it isn't saying that, because we're in a postfeminist age. But nor is it saying "women aren't objects", because that would be dated, over-sincere, mawkish even. So, it's effectively saying "women are neither objects, nor non-objects - and here are some tits!"

Guffaw. The article is not only remarkable because it's such a clever, fun read, but also because it appears in the Guardian Unlimited, an insufferably snotty paper where humor takes a back seat (way back) to pursed-lipped sanctimony. Ironic, that.