Sarcasm can make you more creative!
Sarcasm has been called the lowest form of wit, and it is usually interpreted as indicating disapproval, even contempt. Yet research is now suggesting that sarcasm can evoke creativity in both the person making the sarcastic remark and the person it is aimed at. It can even enhance the creativity of someone who merely overhears the remark.
With sarcasm, there is a discrepancy between what is said, and what is meant. This discrepancy creates a psychological distance between the literal meaning and the intended, opposing, meaning. "Thank you for working so hard!" can be interpreted literally, but if said in a sarcastic tone, the recipient must infer that what is said is not what is meant. Creating the remark requires creativity from the speaker, while inferring the intended meaning requires creativity from the recipient and anyone who overhears the remark.
The psychological distance between the expressed and the intended meaning, the researchers believe, is traversed by thinking abstractly. Abstract thinking is known to stimulate creativity. The sentence "Thank you for working so hard" is about the abstract concept 'work.' The concept encloses both meanings: the literally meant "Thank you for your hard work," and the intended "You lazy so-and-so!" The two abstract concepts stand in contrast to the concrete, practical "work hard" and "don't be lazy."
Another example is calling someone 'ugly' to indicate that he or she looks beautiful. The abstract concept that unites the opposing, concrete statements is 'appearance.'
The problem with sarcasm is that it often provokes hostility, which interferes with the creativity in a team. However, when there is trust between the speaker and the recipient, the sarcastic remark is interpreted more positively, leaving sarcasm as a catalyst for creativity.
Sources
Huang, L., Gino, F., & Galinsky, A. D. (2015). The highest form of intelligence: Sarcasm increases creativity for both expressers and recipients. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 131, 162–177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2015.07.001
Miron-Spektor, E., Efrat-Treister, D., Rafaeli, A., & Schwarz-Cohen, O. (2011). Others’ anger makes people work harder not smarter: The effect of observing anger and sarcasm on creative and analytic thinking. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(5), 1065–1075. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023593
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