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As another poster said, I believe there is a difference between sarcasm and dry humor.
I have an incredibly dry sense of humor. I can make the most outlandish statements with a perfectly straight face. Lost of people don't get my humor because of the disconnect between what I say and my facial expression.
I have mixed feelings about sarcasm. As someone else mentioned, often with sarcasm there is a passive aggressive intent to what is said. The point is to hurt without appearing to hurt. I don't like sarcasm in those cases. I believe sarcasm can also be used to express anger toward someone without coming right out and expressing the anger. I am friends with a family who all use sarcasm as a way of expressing anger toward one another without coming right out and saying they are angry.
On the other hand, there are times that using sarcasm can be a wondeful way for me to reduce stress. I have a coupld of friends I do this with. We can make absolutely horrid sounding remarks to each other, cut one another off at the knees BUT, and it's a very important but, we both are aware of the fact we are blowing off steam. If one of us says "not today" that's the end of it. To me the important thing is the intent. In one case the intent is to hurt the other person. I don't like that. In the other, the intent is to relieve stress with the full knowledge and consent of the other person.
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