JAKE CLELAND

So,

nerdshares:

there are many things that could be (and have been) said about John Carney’s “Annual Guide to Holiday Romance [For Dudes]” but I don’t have as much time as I’d like. So, in bullet form:

Carney’s list is heavily ironic; the “author” (or authorial voice) is clearly meant to be a DudeBro douche of the highest order.

Some people, not always women, will not get the irony. Some DudeBro douches of the highest order will laugh at the inherent “truth” in these bon mots.

Those DudeBro douches think John Carney is on their side.

Even people, not always men, who get and enjoy the irony, might be laughing at the inherent “truth” in these bon mots.

Those people are Stealth DudeBro douches.

They also think John Carney is on their side.

He might be.

It is possible to understand but not appreciate the irony, or the idea that irony is free from criticism even when it (and our enjoyment of it) is problematic.

So: rah rah to freedom of speech and all that, and to holiday lists that are essentially an excuse to flex one’s comedic muscles and exhibit biting, up-to-the-minute insight into gender politics (except it’s ironic! so it’s not really saying that any of those 54 (?) points are true, except maybe a little bit).

That’s all.

Way to confuse irony with satire. I pity the fool who doesn’t “get it”, but regardless of how genuine the list was, the fact is that it was amusing. I certainly won’t put as much stock in it as I do in Cosmo’s boyfriend quizzes (which I get Perfect scores on, FYI).