Criticism of a thing is ironic

[cooliegirly]

Does

"Most intellectual criticism of mass culture was ironic in character..."

mean

that the criticism was ironic in character,

or

that the mass culture was ironic in character?

[Mister Micawber]

.
The technique of criticism was irony.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber