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Some days, you can’t help but believe in the idea that irony is a living, breathing, cosmic force with a very unusual sense of humor and a personal interest in your life. And if you’re one of the rare people who don’t believe in things like irony or fate, don’t worry, we’re pretty sure that they believe in you.

Bored Panda’s collected some of the finest, most iconic (some might even go as far as to say ‘epic’) ironic moments in the recent history of the internet. So get ready to have a good chuckle as you scroll down. Drop us a comment somewhere below explaining which moments you thought were particularly ironic. And remember to upvote your favorite pics, as well as share the post with your amigos who might be in need of some cheering up. Scroll down for Bored Panda’s informative interview with Albert Katz, Professor Emeritus from Western University, who went into detail about irony, its types, uses, as well as how we process it.

Also be sure to look through Bored Panda’s previous post about the most ironic moments ever, as well as our list of the most ironic things that ever happened.

There were a couple of moments with unexpectedly delicious ironic twists that stuck in our heads. The first one was how an empty Nigerian apartment was discovered to hold 43 million dollars (shame on us thinking that every single one of those spam emails from supposed princes was from scammers!). While the second one was how publications like Cosmopolitan can support radically different points of view in different articles.

Bored Panda interviewed Albert Katz, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive, Developmental, and Brain Sciences from Western University’s Department of Psychology. The professor went into detail about the topic of irony.

“In my studies I have found that university-level students have a pretty clear notion of sarcasm, but are actually quite vague about irony,” the professor said. According to him, there are several types of irony, such as the irony of fate in literature. An example of that would be Oedipus unknowingly killing his father and marrying mother.

#4

Dogs Are Not Allowed On Beach Due To Possibility That They Might Make A Mess

Dogs Are Not Allowed On Beach Due To Possibility That They Might Make A Mess

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james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would rather the dogs than the ferals who left all that s**t lying everywhere.

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#5

The Irony Of These Days

The Irony Of These Days

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Jennifer King
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm actually OK with this - kids are wrangled but still get exercise, and dog is well contained where the little puppers won't get stepped on. It does look funny though :)

margitking avatar
Margit King
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom had to have me in a leash because i would dissapear all the time "im going on an adventure", this was perfectly normal i the 90's!

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getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't see the problem of kids on leashes....gives them some freedom to move around without the risk that they'll run off and get lost/kidnapped.

cookiemonsta1970 avatar
Steven Cook
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you find it strange putting children on a leash, you have never been in a crowded public place with a 4 yo who can outrun you.

glowworm2 avatar
glowworm2
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is just a new version of "Freaky Friday." The neighbor's dog swaps bodies with the little girl next door.

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AnnaB
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I kept looking at the picture wondering what the big deal was until I finally noticed the...dog

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Kim Conroy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

don't knock leashes for kids. my daughter is a runner. would rather her on a leash than hit by a car.

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Vibha Vk
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe that's an old or physically challenged dog. What's so funny about that?

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Kim Kermes
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make good sense. The dog can't c**p on the floor, and the kids can move around without running off.

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nala simba
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's definitely something wrong here! Juuuuussst can't quite put my finger on it! Teeeheee.....:))))

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Redfox
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am really fed up with seeing doggies in trolleys, or prams, or whatever when I walk along someplace. I AM a dog lover, do not get me wrong, but seriously treating your dog like a substitute baby is not healthy. I had a Rottweiler scare the beegeebees out of me in a store in USA in a shopping cart, it barked and went to bite my long pony tail. I didn't even know it was there! (the dog, not the pony tail!) When I confronted the lady, (cos my adrenaline was up and I was taken aback) she said, "Oh I don't want him scared that I am leaving him alone outside, and he might get stolen." Lady, NO smart human being is going to steal your freaking biting great hulk of a dog on threat of losing their testicles or other paraphenalia on their person......pant pant, big breath....Ok rant over. Keep viewing photos.

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Linda Niemczyk Sent
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was at a street fair in Chicago when a photographer approached me and asked if he could take a picture. I said 'sure as long as you send me a copy.' When I saw the picture, I laughed. My daughter on a leash and my dog in her stroller!

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J.Labuschagné
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, they do say a picture tells a tale of a thousand words. Pretty sure this photo could be an essay topic in of it self. What will you decide on? Parental over-protectiveness in the modern age? The necessity of parental over-protectiveness in modern times? The over glorification of pets? The warping of reality across social-economical lines? The questions of choice vs. necessity vs. maternal instinct? So many options...

pinkjoelle avatar
Pinkjoelle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes the kid is just a runner, my kid loved to just run away for fun, in crowds, in traffic... and she loved throwing herself in any body of water like ponds at the park or fountains at the mall. I just wanted to keep her alive.

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kjorn avatar
Kjorn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i have 3 kids and i must say sometime i wish i could put a leash on them.

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Brooke
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please educate yourselves on the concept of child elopement https://researchautism.org/elopement-and-autism/

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Stephany Miller
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey I'll be doing that to my daughter shes learning the fun of walking and hates her stroller at times

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velocirrober
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No irony here. Some dogs don't like long walks or are sick, too small, too tired, etc. to walk around. Kids on a leash actually get more freedom than in a stroller, and exercise. I used to have a bike trailer for my dog. That was the only way he could come with me in my long rides.

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james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A tethered child is better than a dead child. Some kids are runners and are too big to sit in a stroller. Educate yourself.

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Andre Porter
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People like that are absolutely rediculous. You can take your pick of which I'm talking about.

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Beuska
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No way, that is crazy :( dogs are dogs, I do not understand why do people treat them like babies... and your child on a leash?? wtf? what is wrong with you people?

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David Herz
Community Member
4 years ago

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beautiful, says a lot about some people's idea of childraising. Must be the kid's on a leash so the mother doesn't have to run after her in her high heels...

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Joseph Georgiadis
Community Member
4 years ago

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Both unimaginably stupid: Treat an animal like own child (even call it and consider it YOUR child, makes me wonder who the hell f*cked you to give birth to it), and -even worse- treat your child like an animal. I have had more than my share of animals, which I loved profoundly. Never considered them children, never called myself their "daddy". My kids, I am extremely proud of. I'd never have them on a leash like a dog.

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Tiggy Darling
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've worked in childcare for 25 years. I've encountered many children that bolt off unexpectedly. You can't hold a child's hand firm enough for ages of walking by busy roads to garuntee they won't escape and run off. Think you can run after them? You personally might be able to eventually, but what about those who can't, and that would mean leaving the ther child. Safety straps have saved the lives of many children over the years. Read some parenting forums.

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Nagawa (Cofa) Kishiki
Community Member
4 years ago

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Those kids are going to grow up one day, then leash their senile parents instead of putting them in wheelchair. That will teach them.

in_zed avatar
Sofia Bellavista
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh so bad to have your little child wear a safety harness so to stop them from falling and getting lost, and save you back pain from having to lean on a side to hold their hand! Bad, bad parents!

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#6

National Geographic Magazine Has Arrived. With An Alert About Excessive Use Of Plastic. It Comes In A Plastic Shrink. And Inside A Plastic Bag To Reinforce The Protection

National Geographic Magazine Has Arrived. With An Alert About Excessive Use Of Plastic. It Comes In A Plastic Shrink. And Inside A Plastic Bag To Reinforce The Protection

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Most of us instinctively understand when a situation is ironic. However, it’s far more difficult to explain what exactly irony is using words. Throughout history, there have been hundreds of suggestions on how best to define it. And some of us might even have our own private definitions of what irony is.

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The most basic definition of irony will include that it’s a contradiction between what’s expected and what actually happens in real life. When you put it like that, you come to realize that irony really is all about expectations being shattered in a humorous way.

Professor Katz said: “There are several components that usually go into irony, and turning irony into sarcasm. Basically, a central motif is the violation of an expectation. But the context in which that violation occurs may make it humorous or not, or sarcastic or not.”

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#10

The Irony Present

The Irony Present

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Lisa Florina
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not english .. but I never understood why they have so much trouble with your and you're... I mean it's so logical right? What am I missing ...

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#11

Oh The Irony

Oh The Irony

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#12

Walmart Employee

Walmart Employee

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A thing that a lot of us mix up is verbal irony and sarcasm. Though they’re usually used interchangeably, they’re not the same.

One way to remember the difference is this: sarcasm is primarily used to insult someone or cause them harm. If it hurts your feelings, it’s most likely sarcasm, not irony. Now that’s a piece of trivia that you can really wow your friends with.

Katz agreed with the idea that sarcasm has “a negative usage” when compared to “verbal irony, such as how we use it in everyday speech.”

“One can think of irony used sarcastically (e.g. when saying something framed positively, but intending a negative insulting meaning: when one says “you’re my best friend” just after said friend did something mean). But one can also get irony used in the opposite way, such as saying something that on the surface sounds nasty, but is meant positively (e.g. “You're sooo bad”).”

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#13

Stop Texting While Driving

Stop Texting While Driving

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#14

This Sign In My Kid’s Elementary School Fills Me With Nihilistic Joy

This Sign In My Kid’s Elementary School Fills Me With Nihilistic Joy

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“The question of how easy it is to understand or get the point of irony, or sarcasm, is a difficult one," the professor noted. "People differ both in the habitual usage of irony or sarcasm and when dealing with a person who often uses sarcasm, for instance, people sometimes erroneously interpret an ambiguous comment not intended ironically as being ironic, or sarcastic.”

“Also there is research that indicates individual differences in using and understanding irony in general,” Katz explained. “Some people are very literal thinkers and miss the irony presented. Some of my own work indicates that the processing of irony occurs almost immediately during comprehension. One doesn't think about it and at some later point think, oh, was he being ironic when he said X.”

“One thing I do believe is that the processing of irony, or sarcasm, is not based on any one factor, such as a failed expectation, but on a set of computations going on simultaneously,” the professor added.

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#16

Nigerian Princes Were Real All This Time

Nigerian Princes Were Real All This Time

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#19

Wasps Made A Nest On My Wasp Spray Bottle

Wasps Made A Nest On My Wasp Spray Bottle

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#21

My Mom Is Cleaning Out The Library At The Preschool Where She Works And Sent Me This

My Mom Is Cleaning Out The Library At The Preschool Where She Works And Sent Me This

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#22

Effing Horrible

Effing Horrible

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#23

You're Welcome

You're Welcome

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Incognito
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If the sign was a human: *rolls eyes at driver sarcastically* thank you for driving carefully!

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#24

The Irony Was Strong With This One

The Irony Was Strong With This One

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Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't see how that can be very comfortable. I absolutely hate it when my pants fall down a smidgen let alone down near my ankles.

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#25

How Did He Get Hired?

How Did He Get Hired?

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Wil Vanderheijden
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just one of these "advanced" drivers showing of their "advanced car handling skills". AKA jerks.

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#26

Ironic That My Pup Chewed Up This Specific Cards Against Humanity Card

Ironic That My Pup Chewed Up This Specific Cards Against Humanity Card

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#27

The Silent And Powerful Mocking Of A Single Sign

The Silent And Powerful Mocking Of A Single Sign

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#28

Well Now, That's Ironic

Well Now, That's Ironic

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#30

Lady Posts On Facebook To Complain About Employees Not Helping Disabled Customer While Simultaneously Not Helping, Either

Lady Posts On Facebook To Complain About Employees Not Helping Disabled Customer While Simultaneously Not Helping, Either

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#32

In Court For Shoplifting

In Court For Shoplifting

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#33

My Car Displays A Long Distracting Message Reminding You To Not Participate In Distracted Driving–while Driving

My Car Displays A Long Distracting Message Reminding You To Not Participate In Distracted Driving–while Driving

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Brandy Grote
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine too. One when you turn the car one, and again when you put it in drive! Please don't distract me right when I'm shifting from reverse!

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#34

Nothing Is Written In Stone

Nothing Is Written In Stone

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#35

Didn't Have Time To Read It I Guess

Didn't Have Time To Read It I Guess

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#37

Author Asks Why His Book Called 'No. More. Plastic' Was Wrapped In Plastic

Author Asks Why His Book Called 'No. More. Plastic' Was Wrapped In Plastic

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Foxxy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't understand the need for the plastic wraps on books, just a waste in my opinion.

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#38

The Irony Of The Bar At A Paypal Business Event

The Irony Of The Bar At A Paypal Business Event

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#41

I Don't Think The Women's Department Gets The Irony

I Don't Think The Women's Department Gets The Irony

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#42

The Very Definition Of Irony

The Very Definition Of Irony

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#43

Those Gears Won't Turn, Which I Guess Makes It A Fairly Apt Metaphor For School Districts And Education

Those Gears Won't Turn, Which I Guess Makes It A Fairly Apt Metaphor For School Districts And Education

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#44

I'm A Public Defender. The ATM In Jail Always Strikes Me As A Little Ironic

I'm A Public Defender. The ATM In Jail Always Strikes Me As A Little Ironic

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#45

I Mean Isn’t This Ironic?

I Mean Isn’t This Ironic?

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Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.

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