Online Humor Gone Wrong

[JaneDead]

i have a friend that i have known for years. we don't know each other *very* well but good enough and in person we click really well.

online, however, they try to joke with me and when i joke back they take it the wrong way. they think i am just trying to ruin the joke and be serious but yet i am just joking back myself!

in the past they have thought i was mad at them on many occasions and most recently they said "...you always ruin a joke...no more kidding with you..."

i was like ummmm i WAS joking with you too by what i said.

i had another friend that similar things would happen with. i would tell her something and she would not "get" that i was joking and get all serious with me. i would have to explain to her that it was a joke and what was funny about it. it's not like she does not have a sense of humor either. she is a very funny person. but ... i don't know she then admitted she had a hard time ever knowing if people were serious or joking online. i decided to not even talk to her online anymore because of it. i never knew when she might just get upset by what i said.

i know there is much to be said about joking in person- tone, gestures, facial expressions... but these are people that KNOW me in person. they KNOW my humor. i would assume they could imagine me joking about it even though i am not in front of them to show it with my body language as well. it's basically my sarcastic side that doesn't translate well online i suppose. or at least not with certain people.

i guess they are wondering "wow, are you joking or are you just an asshole?" and each and every time i AM joking! i don't even think i am that bad about it.

*sigh*

oh well. as the saying goes:

if you can't take a joke, fuck you

[Head Wreck]

gotto take what you dish out

[GOREgeouslyDecorated]

gotto take what you dish out

I agree

[JaneDead]

see that's the thing though - they don't seem to GET it when i do it back

i guess when they do it now i am just going to ignore it instead of trying to joke back.

[Msterbeau]

I agree

Twice? You must REALLY get it.

[odims_sphere]

Twice? You must REALLY get it.

Only once now!

[Homicidalheathen]

Some people are just too touchy. If they are that touchy online imagine what said person would be like in person. Kaboom.

[Scary Guy]

I'd say whatever I felt as I do now, but I'm stupid like that.

Most people are either too touchy to let it slide, or too obtuse to get it in the first place. I love when I insult people and they don't even see it.

[sass_in_the_pants]

Wait, is this a joke, JaneDead? are you mad at me?

No, for real, though, some people just don't get jokes over email. I've got some friends like that myself. Come to think of it, they barely get jokes in real life either.

I don't know what to tell you, except quit being so damn funny with them. It hurts their feelings!!

[Marblez]

If you want to continue talking to these people online, perhaps yo could explain the situation and set up some sort of a code, like if a sarcastic comment is seperated by smily faces ....they might have more of a clue. Eventually, they might understand your tone without them. This way tyou don't unnecessarily alienate online someone that you enjoy in person.