Irony vs Calculus

[August1991]

It's hot, I'm on vacation and I reckon that I can pose an intriguing question - intriguing to me, and I have no idea in which category to post this OP.

What is the most important concept that people should know: Irony or Calculus?

This bothers me because in the West, STEM courses are all the rage: that's where the money is. And in the poor East, they follow suit.

But maybe irony is what the common billions need to learn.

======

Edited to add: To make our world sustainable, should we teach "irony" or should we teach "calculus"?

Edited July 3, 2014 by August1991

[GostHacked]

Irony is a war on terrorism and we just get more war and more terrorism.

We've not exactly needed calculus to survive. We do need it to advance.

So I'll say irony.

[-1=e^ipi]

... Is this a joke thread?

calculus...

[Guest]

Edited to add: To make our world sustainable, should we teach "irony" or should we teach "calculus"?

We should probably just teach common sense. The world would be a great place if everyone was as sensible as me.

Edited July 4, 2014 by bcsapper

[kimmy]

As usual I have no idea what the hell August is talking about anymore.

Ok, August, I think everybody here knows what calculus means, but perhaps you should expand on what you mean by "irony" and why you believe that billions of people need to learn it.

-z

[cybercoma]

I think what's interesting to consider about Aigist's proposition is that children are woefully prepared for a world where shoe monkey purple horse token. If parents would just instill some badger ratchet, maybe Islam would flying dinosaur turtle.

[Moonlight Graham]

I think what's interesting to consider about Aigist's proposition is that children are woefully prepared for a world where shoe monkey purple horse token. If parents would just instill some badger ratchet, maybe Islam would flying dinosaur turtle.

:lol:

[kimmy]

I think we could all use a little more badger ratchet.

-k

[The_Squid]

I think what's interesting to consider about Aigist's proposition is that children are woefully prepared for a world where shoe monkey purple horse token. If parents would just instill some badger ratchet, maybe Islam would flying dinosaur turtle.

The irony is that your post makes more sense than August's OP!

Edited July 4, 2014 by The_Squid

[Michael Hardner]

Irony is sometimes used to mean dry humour, as I understand it. As such, I would say irony is more important day-to-day than calculus.

I have taken advanced university calculus in a mathematics degree program, which was more conceptual than just applied math. The last time I used it was in my final exam.

I use irony every day, and it makes me invincible.

[Bob Macadoo]

Leave it to MH to play the puck even when the puck is nuttier than a squirrel turd.

[Michael Hardner]

Leave it to MH to play the puck even when the puck is nuttier than a squirrel turd.

I think there's room for ponderous rhetoric here.

[cybercoma]

Irony is cultural. Is it more important for people to understand their culture than calculus? I would say so. The problem is that we have talking heads who believe our schools should be a funnel for STEM programs or trades. School is viewed as job training. However there's so much more to life than our jobs. So is irony more important than calculus, maybe not irony itself but understanding our culture, history, and society is certainly more important than being able to find derivatives.

Edited July 4, 2014 by cybercoma

[BubberMiley]

Irony is sometimes used to mean dry humour, as I understand it.

You and Alanis Morissette need to look it up. August probably too.

[Mighty AC]

I'd like more people to learn ironing; specifically the little terrorists that live here and now that school is out, make it very hard to get anything done. In a few years, when I can pass off the task of ironing my shirts, my little world will improve for the better.

[GostHacked]

I'd like more people to learn ironing; specifically the little terrorists that live here and now that school is out, make it very hard to get anything done. In a few years, when I can pass off the task of ironing my shirts, my little world will improve for the better.

That's more sarcasm than ironing.

[August1991]

As usual I have no idea what the hell August is talking about anymore.

Ok, August, I think everybody here knows what calculus means, but perhaps you should expand on what you mean by "irony" and why you believe that billions of people need to learn it.

-z

Uh?

Sarcasm is saying something obviously false: "Smart move" - after you spill the milk.

Irony is sarcasm with an audience: It is opening a box of milk with a pair of scissors - because you've only known bags of milk. Irony is the Gods laughing at us.

When you open a door and a pail of red paint falls on you, you turn (and covered in red) say to your friend sarcastically: "That was a smart move".

Since this is happening on stage, with an audience, the irony is that your friend told you that opening the door would solve your problems. You could not see the pail on the edge of the door - but everyone else did.

Calculus? The slope of a differentiable function.

Edited July 4, 2014 by August1991

[BubberMiley]

Opening.a box of milk with scissors because you only know bags? You failed your own course. Your first lesson should include looking it up in the dictionary.

[Michael Hardner]

You and Alanis Morissette need to look it up. August probably too.

I didn't say it was my definition. In fact, I see that the definition puts sarcasm as a synonym:

https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=irony+definition

After 9/11 I started reading about the death of irony in the arts, and I wondered what it meant... so when I looked it up I was also surprised that it's used that way.

[jacee]

Can irony be 'learned' ?

[GostHacked]

Can irony be 'learned' ?

Yes, and sometimes you learn the hard way.

[kimmy]

Would it be ironic if some guy started a thread to talk about how important it is for people to understand irony, but when asked to explain what he actually means by irony, gives a completely inaccurate definition?

-k

[GostHacked]

kimmy ..... yup!

[The_Squid]

What do either irony or calculus have to do with "Religion and Politics"?

[cybercoma]

Irony is faith and politics is calculated.