From what I've read in the Guardian, British opinion journalists specialize mainly in spiteful put-downs of their subjects. I guess you could call that acid sarcasm, and I think they honestly confuse archness with wit. It's a little off-putting to me and quickly becomes tedious, especially by the tenth article sporting the same pissy tone. That is definitely a cultural thing on my part. We have mastered the art of sarcasm in the US as well. But here it is not considered witty, just malicious -- you use it when you mean to be nasty, and it won't get you any points in other circumstances. So I think the natural American reaction to the nonstop torrent of what we would consider gratuitous nastiness is to either A) smile and pretend it's not happening, while uncomfortably wondering why this asshole is talking shit unprovoked, or B) take offense, as we would if another American acted this way toward us. We certainly won't heap accolades on your cleverness.
And then there is the issue of irony. Irony is the juxtapostion of two opposites, or the expectation of one outcome when the opposite is what actually occurs. See? We know what it means. We just don't find it knee-slappingly hilarious like the British. We get it. We recognize it when it happens. We don't don't feel moved to giggle.
And then there is the issue of irony. Irony is the juxtapostion of two opposites, or the expectation of one outcome when the opposite is what actually occurs. See? We know what it means. We just don't find it knee-slappingly hilarious like the British. We get it. We recognize it when it happens. We don't don't feel moved to giggle.