For a while, it seemed like every other post I saw on social media, such as TikTok and Instagram involved someone taking a “bathroom selfie.”  These weren’t people I followed, just posts the social media bots shoved onto my stream.  I’ve blocked most of them and either don’t see those anymore or people have learned how silly they were.  Probably the former.

I mean, if you’re going to take a selfie and share it with your friends, family and random strangers, how about a shot that doesn’t include a roll of toilet paper, a toothpaste-covered sink and wadded up dirty towels? I don’t claim to be the expert on photography, but come on.

If you know me, complete this sentence: “Sarcasm is…….”   

Right.  …the lowest form of humor. (I know that was an abrupt transition, but stick with me and it will make sense.)

It’s funny how many people I know say that phrase at me while rolling their eyes and making a face when I even utter the word.   Why do I say it, you ask? While sarcasm does have the ability to lift spirits, it is often aimed at belittling someone or getting a laugh at someone else’s expense. I know I’m powerless to eradicate sarcasm from our verbal repertoire, but I am going to continue encourage its disuse. 

So for those of you who groan when I say, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor,” I’ll stop.  Instead, I’ll use one of the highest forms of figurative language, the simile, to make my point.

Sarcasm is to humor what the bathroom selfie is to photography.

Are you still reading this? 

I am hopeful that this phrase is memorable, and like an earworm (the name for a song that gets stuck in your head) serves as a reminder that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor.