And there really is; is that the irony of it?
Why is “abbreviation” such a long word?
I’m on a whiskey diet. I’ve lost three days already.
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
In grade school, we are all taught what irony is: a figure of speech in which the intended meaning of a word or expression is opposite to its literal or usual meaning. It is often used to convey humor, sarcasm, or a deeper layer of meaning. But at that young age, are we able to really understand what irony is? That’s exactly the irony of it!
In fact, Reality Bites, a film from 1994 starring Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke, directed by Ben Stiller, has a great scene on this topic. Ryder graduates from Rice University and fails a job interview for journalism; this is the parting scene and interaction with her costar:
There are all types of irony, from verbal to situational, and, yes, even photographic. Photographic irony is the art of capturing moments that give a playful wink to expectations or juxtaposing the absurd with the mundane. Seriousness colliding with silliness, resulting in giggles. Want to see some good ones? Here is a link to Photocrowd’s winners of their Irony in Photography competition (make sure to click the different links at the top):
I love thoughtful quotes, but quotes laced with irony may be some of my favorites. “I quote others only in order to better express myself.” – Michel de Montaigne. In that spirit, here are some quotes that are truly and actually ironic:
I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.
Mark Twain
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.
Robert A. Heinlein
The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.
Lily Tomlin
I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.
Friedrich Neitzsche
Anything worth dying for … is certainly worth living for.
Joseph Heller
2 positives can make a negative? Yeah, right.