English
Irony primarily is a language play that makes fun of its own disconnection with reality. Short of offering an alternative view of the world s/he is criticizing, the ironist, as castigated by Hegel, can appear to be looking down on things without any concern for anyone or anything but themselves. Conversely, the ironist can be humble and, as Kierkegaard remarked of Socrates, be content with debunking overwhelming certainties through ignorance and doubt.
