IRONISTS?

New word today from a heart-felt writing by a Tan Sei Hon - "Ironists". Nothing to do with Iron Man (mmm, perhaps it does in some circumstances). I think it means "cynics who take 'ironies' in life too seriously". 

Have to admit though, sometimes I am a cynic who likes to dwell with ironies. Ya, don't have to pretend la, I used to be a hardcore 'ironist' (and used to wish to be an Iron man too!).

I know I might sound bias here, but a little tinge of cynicism and 'ironist' in us is quite ok, even useful. But too much of it can be harmful. 

Now, many of us (other than me) have sometimes become miserable cynics who like to impose our twisted and extreme take on ironies upon everyone through constant bickering on twitter, facebook, blog and other social media. 

We react to every tiny things, sometimes (or most of the time) CONveniently blaming on everyone and everything except ourselves.  

There are many types of cynic 'ironists' amongst us, and each has his or her own 'field of cynicism and irony' to focus on obsessively. Some simply focus on 'dosa' that 'other people' have committed, not necessarily in regards to religion, but also to other fields, like politics and heritage for example ( many in Penang where I stay).

But the worse for me are those self-proclaimed, self-righteous  'politically-correct', who are obsessed with this thing called 'race relationship'. They will look at everything racially, despite their pious claims of being 'anti-racism'. In being 'anti-racism', they are in a constant look for 'racism'. What an irony! (choosing to focus their mind on something they 'don't like').

They even keep on looking with scrutinizing eyes for any little tiny thing that for them smells 'racist'. They become very good in smelling or sniffing 'racism' (hopefully not like a dog, that would be demeaning). They do this under a politically-correct pretext to uncover, to condemn, to despise,  to correct the malaise of racism.  Unfortunately, sometimes one can 'sniff' their ulterior motive - to elevate their 'piousness' and social or political status. To avoid unfair generalization, this does not apply to all cynical 'ironists' out there. 


Some clever-clever 'ironists' that I admire amongst us (ya, of course I read twits, fb comments and notes as well as blogs)sometimes fell victim to their own device (relying purely on online materials for example), giving 'knee-jerk' 'analysis' and 'reading' of things that actually "DIDN'T REALLY HAPPENED'.  

When that happened, I lost my admiration, but not sense of respect (we are after-all humans, nobody is perfect, k.).

I recall that cinema ad of a man in 'kain pelikat' too busy ironing till he answered a call with the hot iron. What an irony! 

The moral? Well, to those cynical 'ironists' I still admire out there, don't take your ironies too seriously or to too much extremes, and most importantly, make sure you DON'T BE THAT IRONING MAN (OR WOMAN) IN 'KAIN PELIKAT'.