Finally, Evidence to Support a Theory

I read this in the Seattle P-I this morning. It may shed light on why I am constantly having to explain myself to my clients.

Complex thinking required to understand sarcasm

By LEE BOWMANSCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE

Sarcasm is lost on many people, in some cases more than others, because they may be missing part of a complex set of cognitive skills based in specific parts of the brain.
A new study by Israeli psychologists, using patients with damage to different parts of their brains, details an "anatomy of sarcasm" to explain how the mind puts sharp-edged words into context.
The psychologists write in the May issue of the journal Neuropsychology that for sarcasm to register, the listener must grasp the speaker's intentions in the context of the situation. This calls for both sophisticated social thinking and appreciating a "theory of mind," that different people think different thoughts.

Read the full article here