Quote Originally Posted by KukriKhan
Just a note about american english usage:

when a US writer uses the words "but" or "however", he is saying: 'all that went before 'but' or 'however' should be set aside; the following is what I think.' This enables the writer to hold 2 seemingly contradictory ideas at the same time. The reader is obliged to give some weight to the first part (but then set it aside, on viewing "however"), and then assign more weight to the 2nd part.

Not hypocrisy. Rather: common american english construction.
I see what you are trying to get at. Still it would seem my argument has not been invalidated. Perhaps it has even been fortified. What you say appears a bit like a repetition of what I meant only put more eloquently and diplomatically.

It's as if one puts weight on the first point (and advocates it), yet he or she would then set it aside to accept the other point (to oppose the first one that is so admired). Common American English usage? Yes or maybe. It still looks hypocrisy to me for the contradiction remains intact. One would still enjoy harsh painful humour afterwards.

Regarding the rest (more or less) -- what came after 'however' -- it seems entirely subjective. What they did was "harsh painful humor" and it can indeed be 'clever, subtle, funny, imaginative, or tasteful' (or some combination) if one would perceive it as such.

I'm sorry: I'm a critical *******