Those of you who watch the comedy “The Big Bang Theory” will know that a recurring joke is the inability of Sheldon (no relation) to understand sarcasm.
Thats the thing with Sarcasm. “Do I take that at face value?” “Was he being sarcastic?” “Did I miss the joke.?” “Was there a joke?” “I think the person who said that was being sarcastic but I need an explanation and the people who are smiling and understanding it are not telling me what is funny and I should probably be annoyed because it might be at the expense of Someone or Something I value”
So what do you make of this tweet from Conall McDevitt?
“Got on bike today…Got soaked…Changed…Got in Car…Billy Bragg….Got back in car…Elvis Costello…Thatchers Legacy? Great music!”.
What on Earth did he mean? Lefties like myself smile. Do we take it at face value? Man listens to Billy Bragg and Elvis Costello in his car and appreciates that these talented people rose to stardom in the Thatcher Years. What could be more innocent?
Yet oddly (?) some people think there must be an underlying message. Socialist MLA chooses to listen to Billy Bragg and Elvis Costello, two performers who are uncompromising in their dislike for Margaret Thatcher and a not so subtle hint that he might have been listening to some of their music which was a critique of Thatcher.
See…if I had tweeted that (I am no longer on Twitter)…….and I wish I had tweeted it, it would have been simple. I dont really like any music after 1968 except for “country rock” but it would have been a “wind up”, a means of offending Thatcher fans. And I would have taken a little extra pleasure if they were unsure if I was serious or not.
Those of you reading this in USA are probably unaware of the phrase “Wind Up Merchant” …someone who likes to tease.
If the target of the joke like prison officer Mr Mackay in Porridge for example is not quite sure if he is being laughed at….then of course the pleasure is doubled.
For an old greybeard like me can remember the old sitcom “The Good Life” set in Tory Surbiton in the English Home Counties………and Tory Margo doesnt get the joke that hubby Jerry, Tom and Barbara “get”.
People like Sheldon, Mr Mackay and Margo Leadbetter thankfully really exist.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Some amount of “Sheldon’s” in the world of politics.
Probably equal to the world of religion.
See Sheldon’s mother.
Oh I like Sheldons mother.
It is Howard’s mother who scares me. Not to mention Leonsrds.
At least Raj only communicates with his on a lap top.
I actually thought that Vance nee Dunce pulled a defeat for hipster, bandwagon jumping politicians out of the jaws of victory. I read Conall’s tweet and the first thought that ran through my head as I would be about his age is that he is not in a million years actually listening to these bands, he’s bad wagon jumping and might as well be akin to wearing a Ramones t-shirt whilst only listening to their greatest hits, it was nauseating.
Then Dunce comes on and actually makes me cheer for Conall, a rare feat I can assure it. It reminds me of what the poster FDM on SOT has said before, you would almost think that these belligerent unionist pols like Dunce, Arlene and Gregory were created at Connolly House out of body parts and sent out to wreck Unionism.
I think its fair to compare David Vance with Margo Leadbitter from the classic 1970s sit com The Good Life. In one episode Tom Good made a very bad joke but she didnt get it….which made the others laugh even more.
by the way I saw Felicity Kendall at Heathrow once. Isnt she lovely?
I’m imagining you doing your best Stevie Wonder impression behind a piano whilst saying that of course FJH! She is indeed.
The funniest thing is that he thinks he ‘won’ that skirmish. It’s the problem with allowing Tom, Dick or FC near twidger I suppose