Snark (noun): a combination of "snide" and "remark". Sarcastic comment(s). Also snarky (adj.) and snarkily (adv.)
But just what is snark? We all think we recognise snark when we see it - it's a tone of teasing, snide, undermining abuse, nasty and knowing, that's spreading through the media. Its practitioners think it's funny, but it isn't big and it certainly isn't clever. So where did it all go wrong? What happened to the black comedy, the clever irony and the pinpoint satire we once admired and how did they turn into a charmless and witless way of speaking? David Denby is a film critic for the New Yorker, and author of Great Books. He is not a humourless kill-joy, quite the opposite. He loves wit, righteous indignation and genuine satire. He cherishes spoof, lampoon and burlesque. He gives brilliant and hilarious examples of satire and he encourages the dangerous and challenging basis of humour. His style is cool and clever – and, in dissecting the history and philosophy of snark, he proves he is a decent man with a mission.
