Tuesday, Ari Shapiro interviewed David Denby, author of the book “Snark.”
Apparently, Denby’s central problem was with the anonymity of online snark.
Apparently, Denby thinks that it’s dangerous for people to say mean things to each other without signing their names.
Apparently, Denby also changes his definitions of “snark,” “satire,” and “irony” according to whether he likes the instance or not.
Because, you know, this “satire” Denby likes so much never offended anyone.
It’s a matter of taste, honestly, this distinction. Yes, much snark online does derive from a sense of meanness. A lot of it is built to tear down.
Denby’s complaints about how snark is just “hazing on the page” miss the mark. That hazing on the page is not snark, it is merely hazing on the page.
Snark comes from somewhere else. Occassionally – think Kerry and I, think McSweeney’s or Pitchfork – actual discussion, actual affection can be passed back and forth through snark and its apparent meanness. Yes, there is a bit of irony in doing that, I’m sure Denby would point that out, but it’s not strict irony. It usually lies more in exaggerating the accepted truth.
All that aside, David Denby’s mom is so old, her Social Security number is 3.
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