Irony fuels spread of toxic ideas online, study finds.

Irony is becoming a medium for the spread of toxic ideas online, according to a new study. The use of irony is growing in both contemporary politics and radical online communities because it helps people to make sense of and navigate major political and economic changes. Irony generates an intensity and energy which can play a major role in animating people’s beliefs, transforming them from propositions to convictions, investing them with a sense of possibility, and compelling people to act. The study says examining irony can help understand how recent influential political coalitions, such as the Brexit campaign, are held together even though those involved are from different backgrounds or ideologies.