more irony

[Laurence Horn]

At 7:47 PM -0400 3/22/11, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>There's already been much discussion here about the current extreme dilution
>of the terms "irony/ironic."
>
>Here's today's example, from CNN: "One of the many ironies" of the attack on
>Libya is that "it began on exactly the same date as the invasion of Iraq" in
>2003.
>
>I'm not sure what the other "ironies" are, but it should be easy to come up
>with as many as you like.
>
>The coincidence of dates is diverting but no more than that. And it's of
>absolutely no significance. But calling it an "irony" rather than a
>"coincidence" sounds so much sager.
>
Now now.  Coincidences have no meaning.  Ironies, are on the other
hand, are rich with significance.  Whatever they may be.

LH

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