Sarcastic punctuation, next big thing

Feeling impertinent or cynical? How about spending $2 to download and use the new punctuation mark that’s meant to tell your readers that you’re being sarcastic… <sarc>Yeah right, like that’s going to catch on</sarc>

Apparently, it’s available for Windows 7, XP, Vista, Mac, Blackberry, and iPhone. That’s great, <sarc>it’s just what we needed</sarc>: the chance to irritate our fellow computer users with another symbol to add to all the smilies, l33t and acronyms <sarc>ROFL</sarc>.

I can see you’re so totally convinced and ready to spend your two bucks so you can be facetiously enabled when you send your next email. <sarc>Of course you are.</sarc>

So, here’s what it will look like when you send it to a user who doesn’t have this one character font loaded on their device:

“embedcharcode-license:server-notfound”

or if you’re lucky

“?”

<sarc>Amazing.</sarc>

It’s true that the faceless nature of electronic communication, which so lacks the nuance of facial expression and body language can lead to ambiguities, especially when someone is being ironic, facetious, or sarcastic. And, the great unwashed of the internet will always find a way to take any remark literally. But, you know what I say to that? <notsarc>Tough!</notsarc>