People doing things in an "ironic" way

[copylight]

ooh. I bet his ironic moneyshot tasted bitter though.

[The Boston Crab]

From our very own (occasional) Jesse Thorn, from The Sound Of Young America: A Manifesto For The New Sincerity

And one more from the AV Club: Saved By The Bell & The Death Of Ironic Appreciation

[Lookalike Mark Chapman]

My sister and I absolutely genuinely loved Saved by The Bell. Nothing ironic about it. Taught me a lot of life lessons, that show. It was surrogate parent, teacher, and friend.

Were we stupid?

[MojoJojo]

How does ironic love differ from actual love? Because actual love isn't smarmy, cloying, approval-seeking desperate cuntery.

Can someone who knows greek tell me what the greek word for ironic love is? I seem to remember the Spartans looked down on the Athenians because the Athenians were into ironic love.

[Milo]

Is 'ironic' a shorthand for watching something shit for the fun of taking the piss out of it, a la Mystery Science Theatre 3000?

[Ignatius_S]

Is 'ironic' a shorthand for watching something shit for the fun of taking the piss out of it, a la Mystery Science Theatre 3000?

Well, I've certainly seen some people use the word that way... wrongly.

All too often, when people say they're watching something "ironically", they aren't and abusing their mother tongue through ignorance.

If they also make air quotes when they say "ironically", it's not a good sign...

This thread reminds me of that Sheryl Crow song 'Irony' where she goes on about smoking in the rain on her wedding day and trying to eat a bowl of soup using a fork. It's a cool song actually.

Although it doesn't actually contain much examples of irony.

"An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day"

That's coincidence, not irony.

[Cerys]

Here we go again.  You're thinking of dramatic irony, not bog-standard irony, which is defined as 'the apparent perversity of fate'.

[PaulTMA]

How does ironic love differ from actual love? Because actual love isn't smarmy, cloying, approval-seeking desperate cuntery.

It's lovely.

[confettiinmyhair]

Two recent observations - Lynda Bellingham narrating Being.... N-Dubz and Michael Buerk narrating Pineapple Dance Studios

[Big Jack McBastard]

it must be great for performers to reach a level of total shitness and un-coolness, and still able to make a decent living performing in front of wacky students at Fresher's week club nights across the country.

Rick Astley immediately springs to mind.

I agree with tisonlyme, people should just admit they like something that's widely regarded as shit and get over it, the only people who'd realise you were being 'ironic' in any given situation like that would be people who knew you inside and out and so would be in on the gag as it were. Do it in front of anyone but those people and it turns out you fucking love ABBA, truly cherish your X Factor mug and kiss them in your dreams every night.