Completely agree about your humanity point, but completely disagree about sarcasm.
I personally use sarcasm far, far too often. And when I sit back and reflect on those times, I am completely certain that it never advances my point farther (vs. the same point made without sarcasm), never makes my point seem more clever, and never makes my point seem more funny.
So why do I continue to do it? Honestly, I don't know. It is a completely valueless communication strategy, and I continue to use it. The best answer I have is that it's a self-protection mechanism, which seems better-armored against a hostile audience than if I made my point with sincerity. So I, personally, will try to do better. But I would also caution anyone with less entrenched habits to consider carefully whether sarcasm is a useful rhetorical tool.
I frequently find myself in the same boat. Growing up, my mom always told me that sarcasm is the weakest form of humor. When I'm about to say something sarcastic, I try to remember that advice and come up with a better turn of phrase.
It is almost certainly for self-protection. Responding seriously in response to someone's sarcasm or snarks is a fool's endeavor. The person doesn't care and their only interest is to score cheap laughs at the cost of lowering the level of discourse.
I personally use sarcasm far, far too often. And when I sit back and reflect on those times, I am completely certain that it never advances my point farther (vs. the same point made without sarcasm), never makes my point seem more clever, and never makes my point seem more funny.
So why do I continue to do it? Honestly, I don't know. It is a completely valueless communication strategy, and I continue to use it. The best answer I have is that it's a self-protection mechanism, which seems better-armored against a hostile audience than if I made my point with sincerity. So I, personally, will try to do better. But I would also caution anyone with less entrenched habits to consider carefully whether sarcasm is a useful rhetorical tool.