Teenagers and Sarcasm

Does your child use statements which you feel are offending?

He mocks someone or something continuously in front of others?

He/She uses peculiar words which are beyond your comprehension or ethics.

He / She is in habit of using Sarcasm.

If you answered the questions as 'yes' then you need to understand this

It is often said that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, since sarcastic comments are most commonly used to provoke laughter at someone else’s expense. To the chagrin of many adults, when it comes to sarcasm, teenagers often seem to have the art of sarcasm honed to perfection. There can be many reasons for them to use sarcasm as a camouflage over their emotions and expectations. Some of them are mentioned under.

Lack of Verbal Skills
sarcasm is a more benign way to express negativity then by being direct.Teens who lack sophisticated verbal skills uses sarcasm as a way to talk back to authority figures like teachers and parents, without being openly confrontational. That way, if the authority figure calls out the teen for talking back, the teen can say that he was only making a joke.

Insecurity
Used as a form of ego defense, in which a person engages in a behavior they believe will protect their ego from perceived harm or risk, teenagers often use sarcasm to make themselves feel better by attacking or belittling others.Using sarcasm is a symptom of fear, including envy and jealousy, and is used by those who feel a need to slight others. This is common in the teen years as children struggle to gain a sense of self.

Humor
While many people find sarcasm undesirable, one individual’s sarcastic comment is another person’s banter. One reason teenagers speak sarcastically is in a simple attempt to provoke laughter, which is one common form of attention-seeking behavior common to adolescences.Attention seeking is common in children because they are still trying to figure out life. Attention-seeking behavior is most often attributed to self-esteem issues, and is often a way to compensate for a lack of self-confidence.

Buffer Criticism
Hearing criticism from others, especially from peers or adults whom a teen looks up to, can feel threatening to a teenager who is struggling to discover who she is. As a result, teenagers frequently use sarcasm to deflect criticism that friends,teachers or family members may direct toward them. By trying to downplay a negative remark or trying to turn a criticism into a joke, a less-than flattering comment from someone the teen has a relationship with may seem to hurt less. Additionally, turning the comment back on the person who disparaged her enables the teen to retaliate in a humorous way.

I DIDN'T KNOW THEN,THAT I AM A COLOR

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Every childhood is a memory of a lifetime full of joys, laughter, cheers and mesmerizing moments. no worries about what you are wearing, what you are saying, where are you playing,all that matters at the end of the day are the memories captured.My childhood was also full of all of it like every one else except one thing "Color". Why I am putting this word in inverted you will understand as you read it completely. Unlike every child i was blessed with the best parents in the world who loved me so dearly that irrespective of all the troubles and health issues all my needs were well taken care of. I was sent to the best school in the city in order to give me the best education. For fruitful nurturing my parents left no stone unturned. While growing up I was taken aback when for the first time I was not asked to be a part of various gatherings due to some reason or the other but it didn't affected me much because my parents would cover up the loss.But gradually my interactions with the immediate society was not very unpleasing.I became a corner stand in the house which is there but not an active part of it. As the days passed I managed to add colors to my life of friendship,love, care and togetherness but still they were faded and lacked the brightness which they naturally hold. I used to wonder why is there this kind of dis colorization in and around me all the time. Poor me, I was too small to understand these big notions of human minds. I was always taught to like the people the way they are and I always appreciated the people by there fake colors (that I realized later) which were all glittery and bright. People called me names and I considered as part of the prank during games as that's what friends are for....aren't they?. My bubble busted when I faced the reality as it was and it shook me through and through. While looking for colors in others I never realized that I also had a color and people didn't appreciate it much. This color was BLACK... which out of all things I held in me they only noticed.I was made to believe that it's my destiny to be like that and that it's not what is going to be accepted by the society like for ever. I was disheartened and broke and I was full of despair and loss. Everything just started popping up since my birth till date, all those denials for parties and racist behavior of other as fate. I held this in my heart and never shared it with others not even my parents but the degrading eyes of the society pushed me a little everyday into that pit. My siblings, friends and some very close people at that time never understood the scream hidden in my silence. It was so hard to overcome that burden of fears and so difficult to stop the drowning tears. I lost hope and felt that unwavering tremor...cause all they saw in me was just a color.

VOICES

We come across so many sounds every day. While travelling, at home, working, in form of music and so on but there are certain sounds which connect us with specific people and humans. While travelling in metro a week back I had a very different experience, during my journey I heard so many sounds but then suddenly my attention was attracted by the voice of a baby playing around with the poles for some time I could stop myself from looking at him and listening to the humming sound he was making. Later on my attention drew towards a group of corporate females who were discussing business and investments. I was surrounded by continuous hustle and bustle of the city but still I was in harmony with some particular voices or other.

These voices they play a very different role in our lives. We get directly attached to them consciously, sub consciously. These voices they get stored into our treasure box of memories and when you hear them they bring to you the direct linkages. Voices have their own identity, personality and character. Even though we all are busy with our lives trying to adjust and harmonize with the song of life still out of nowhere some voices just tell you that you are special. That there’s something that make you unique in your own way which no one can change.  Some voices that you love to listen, some which annoys you, some which you can’t recognize, and some which you can’t forget. We all are sharing this beautiful bond of voice and connection of emotions, feelings. You don’t always need words to understand the message of your loved ones, just the frequency of the voice is more than enough. A lady who is expecting a baby gets to know about the baby in her body just by hearing the voice of the changes in her. Even the slightest sound of nature holds its own story. From the opening of a flower till the last bang of the nail in the coffin. All these sounds connect our neurons to the life experiences which we hold consciously sub consciously or unconsciously. Out of all these worldly voices there is something which you call the inner voice which travel with you all the time, guiding you, fighting with you, stopping you, provoking you and so on… these voices get in your head and play with your emotions and situations.  Voices just the way they are… are unique.

EDUCATION COMMERCIALISED
We all live in a world where getting educated is the most essential part of the human life. No matter what you getting? From where you are getting? And how you are getting but if you are not in the school or any educational institution you are a failure as per the society. Every single parent strives hard in order to provide education to their kids, no matter they themselves got education or not. Over a period of time the capitalist or commercial class of the society have taken a great advantage if this necessity of the people. They have to a very extent converted the deed of giving knowledge into a deed of earning money. It’s now a time that we should ask us one simple question. Are the people who were there years back and have attained levels of divinity, truth or wisdom they went to schools? I am sure the answer will be “NO” but in true sense they had more knowledge about life, divinity and attained high self respect and courage. We today see lots of schools being built up round the cities, starting from kindergarten, crèche, and even higher secondary schools. They all acclaim to provide highest levels of education and so but in real they play with the future of the country and the person studying there just in order to make money. The quality of education is not even up to basis level of standards as prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE or STATE BOARDS. They show the parents the outer beautification the system but the hidden coal is always a mystery for them. Parents in order to provide their kids education and make him/her capable to deal with the society put them on these schools only as per their economic status and availability of resources. I am here not criticizing the schools on personal grounds but talking in general terms, these days every society have their own kindergartens and preparatory schools. Even people as per their convenience are putting them in those schools? But Are you doing justice to your child?
The second problem is the increase in the finances of the schools and collection of money on regular basis either in the form of fees, miscellaneous charges, fares… except the basic fees a parent has to pay so much extra money WHY? Even certain schools keep on changing their uniforms, books and publications in order to get more money. The frequent the change the more the commission from these sources. The facilities they provide are not for free as they claim. The parents are either directly or indirectly paying for these facilities provided. Every school these days whether in metro cities, smaller towns and districts or villages are in a way looking out for ways to get more and more money with the passage of time. Teachers in order to earn money and not be the part of unemployment league which is also the major problem of our society are working for lower wages and the schools are keeping them. They also are then working as per the salary standards, and the level of work done shows the level of input. What all I am trying to talk to you about here is only 10 % of the major platform. It’s my humble request to all that please pay attention to this that what is more important in the long run. THE INFRASTRUSTURE OF THE SCHOOL OR YOUR KID’S LIFE? Stand together against this commercialization and your will definitely see the rise in the level of education not the brightness of the school from outside. Uniforms are important not to stand out of the crowd but to bring equality. Infrastructure is important but till the time it’s providing basic needs not to create complexes in the society. Competition is good till the time it’s healthy and fruitful not to humiliate others. Stop this.! And put a barrier against the ill feelings and lack of values and knowledge of books only which we are mainly inculcating in our children.

Sports: On- field and Off-field
Today i got a chance to attend a sports day function in one of the renowned school of the city. For all its a matter of pride and honor to see many students and athletes participating in school and especially in sports, for them its a feather in the cap to be in sports along with academics. Spirited athletes put in their hard work and life into every activity they do. Some while getting in physical aspire to become state and national level players as well as some aspire to get into armed forces based on their caliber and physical strength. while watching the pumped heart beats and enthusiasm of the students one thought provoked me to question myself about the irony of today's situation which is displayed through empty streets in colonies, younger kids playing maximum time on tabs and computers, their talks are more about animation than ambition. Most of the time a student is occupied in the stress and pressure of pear or parents. They want to excel in their lives in all fields but we the society, suppress their desires and dreams by making some or the other excuse. Why this enthusiasm is not visible off the field, why we fail in putting trust and understanding the potentials of our wards. The sound of claps and words of appreciation fill a participant with all the strength he needs to overcome his fears on field, then Why when he desires to play outside the school many of us stops him because of our fears and notions. A player is a player and he will be player if you allow him to. Its not about the person its all about the attitude we hold. So its a mirror for you that motivate the kids to play more outside the school. Its always a great way to learn the best examples of life which you are losing while being busy on online gaming portals. The feeling of falling and getting up, The feeling of cheering your friends while they contest with each other, Cracking jokes and giggling while soiling yourself in mud, Running against the Wind and shouting out loud after achievements, they hold no comparison to sitting at home and clearing levels on gaming portals. Rise up and play.! Life starts where friends meet.