I was recently at an event and everyone at the table was introducing themselves for the first time and everything was going well until someone introduced themselves and followed the introduction up with the statement that they were “snarky”. They said it as a point of pride. Hello I am so and so and I am snide and sarcastic and isn’t that cool.

If this was a one-off phenomenon I would have just dismissed it, but I have encountered it time and time again. At one conference this year, the presenter actually stated that they were “snarky” as a warning for audience members asking questions at the end of the session (I didn’t ask any questions). Why would someone have pride in being “snarky”?  To me it would be like announcing “Hi I’m Sean, I’m smelly and proud of it”

To be honest I don’t like “snarky” but I didn’t really understand why, sure if you are a cool hipster maybe “snarky” is in. It was not until I thought about it did I really understand why I don’t like “snarky”

Snarky to me is an attempt to try and teach something to someone without being it. It is easier to criticize than to summon the courage to do.

To me snarkiness is for second-raters who lack the courage or love to make or create. Snide and sarcastic behavior has the affect of stopping conversations, diminishes and tears down the work of others. It does create something dark and unpleasant.