Irony is a little understood concept in the post-modern world. The OED defines ironic as “1) using or characterized by irony. 2) happening in the opposite way to what is expected.”
Irony, then, is defined as “1) the expression of meaning through the use of language which normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous effect. 2) a state of affairs that appears perversely contrary to what one expects.”
Literary irony “is a technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.”
In no way, shape, or form is a 98 year-old man winning the lottery and then dying the next day ironic (we expect old men to die). Nor is rain on your wedding day, nor is “ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife.” Yes, I really want to slap Alanis Morissette silly. Or at the very least pummel her with a compact version of the OED (weighs about 40 pounds) for the crime she perpetrated through pop. I did, however, run across a perfect example of irony the other day in The New York Times.
The “adult” film industry is a set of early technology adopters, always looking for ways to cut costs and production time. Videotape permeated the market as fast as it did in the late-1970s/early-1980s because these film makers realized quickly that reusable tapes were significantly cheaper than film stock that could only be used once and couldn’t immediately be viewed to see if you got what you were trying to get.
As such early adopters, the “adult” film industry is currently pushing the edge of the technology envelope with High Definition equipment but they’re finding that what they’re getting isn’t what they expect.
Raise your hand if you’re the only person in the world who thinks that what is seen in mainstream, or even fetish, American “adult” films even vaguely resembles real people?
The “adult” film industry is built on dyed hair (of both sorts), hair removal, collagen, breast implants, liposuction, botox, and a whole lot of make-up and good lighting. In an industry where nothing is actually real – from the boobs to the orgasms – and an actress is forced to have her fake breasts “redone” because new technology is making minute scars from her first operation more visible the very definition of irony is this: “HD is great because people want to see how people really look,” Ms. Price said. “People just want to see what’s real.”
Reference:
“In Raw World of Sex Movies, High Definition Could Be a View Too Real”, by Matt Richtel, The New York Times, January 22, 2007