Self Deprecating Humor

spudman1232
spudman1232 Posts: 94
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
As much as I like my line ,"With a tool like mine I had to build a shed over it", I think my self deprecating humor has got to go. I have to start believing in me.

Replies

  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    As much as I like my line ,"With a tool like mine I had to build a shed over it", I think my self deprecating humor has got to go. I have to start believing in me.

    I think it depends if you are using self deprecating humour as a defence mechanism. If you believe that people do not view you very highly and it is better to take the piss out of yourself first before they do as a way to ease the pain then yeah, can it right now.

    Self deprecating humour can be very funny if you have a lot of self confidence. If you don't it skates a fine line between falling into being cringe worthy and awkward for the people listening to it. Very few people like to hear someone putting themselves down.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    But... I'm hysterical when I put myself down. It's true. ;-P
  • Mr_Cape219
    Mr_Cape219 Posts: 1,345 Member
    I can agree, although I am trying to understand "with a tool like mine, I had to build a shed over it"

    call me slow or whatever, but I dont get it o_o;;
  • _binary_jester_
    _binary_jester_ Posts: 2,132 Member
    About 90% of my joke are self deprecating...but I don't care what people think, so it's a win-win. That's nguyen-nguyen for my peeps.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Self deprecating humour can be very funny if you have a lot of self confidence.

    On the other hand, if people view you as cocky it's just effing annoying. I know someone who acts quite cocky, but in truth is very insecure and easily threatened. This person is exceptionally fond of self deprecating humor, but the end result is that the person comes off like a complete a-hole much of the time. Every time I witness this, I want to tell this person to STFU.
  • Ayeshat
    Ayeshat Posts: 209
    As much as I like my line ,"With a tool like mine I had to build a shed over it", I think my self deprecating humor has got to go. I have to start believing in me.


    Self deprecating humour can be very funny if you have a lot of self confidence. If you don't it skates a fine line between falling into being cringe worthy and awkward for the people listening to it. Very few people like to hear someone putting themselves down.

    ^^ This!
    I have a friend that has this kinda humour but its a bit awkward and uncomfortable mostly because its normally about things she's really self conscious about...... If it was just about random stuff that no-one cares about.. urself included,... then right on!
  • cal1973
    cal1973 Posts: 306 Member
    :laugh:
  • IamRoJ
    IamRoJ Posts: 530 Member
    I prefer to make fun of myself than to make fun of others and risk hurting someone's feelings. And seriously...there is SO much material right here. Short jokes, chubby jokes, old jokes, klutzy jokes, and dork jokes. And since I'm a narcissistic *kitten* for most of the time, folks who know me realize it's just my way of trying to entertain, be funny and (when necessary) be an attention *kitten*. Oh yeah...add narcissistic *kitten* jokes. I'm the total package.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    The loss of being able to make fat jokes about myself is truly heartbreaking. There was a service. McDonald's flew flags at half mast.
  • adrian_indy
    adrian_indy Posts: 1,444 Member
    I always make fun of myself because if I don't, most people are intimidated by my good looks and fantasical charm.
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
    Better to make fun of yourself as a joke than other people.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Very few people like to hear someone putting themselves down.

    I especially hate it when I'm trying to pay someone a compliment. Sometimes I want to say "Look, I like you. Please stop trying to talk me out of it."
  • foodfight247
    foodfight247 Posts: 767 Member
    Ok...hands up. I fall into this trap too.

    Bottom line - I'm a crap conversationalist. I sometimes take the mick out of myself purely to try put across that I have got a sense of humour (i hope) and can laugh at myself as well as at/with other people - based on if I understand/relate to the topic of conversation.

    I'd love to be more involved in some of the threads on here, but I don't as either I've embarrassed myself or people jump on the bandwagon and tear someone to shreds because of their opinion - hence I take the honesty approach or take the pee out of myself mixed with honesty/opinion.

    Conclusion - for me it's partly a defense mechanism to save myself from embarrassment - perhaps I realise now that it's probably embarrassing anyway, but makes me look stupid. Idk.

    Everyone takes the mick out of me so I kinda laugh at me too. I can be humourous - just my lack of knowledge doesn't help when it comes to punch lines. I'd rather just be me than try come across like I'm somebody different. I've come to the conclusion that people either like me for it of not. Is this bad?
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    I'm Italian and Polish... I'm the only one I know of who can insult myself and not understand...
  • ChristiH4000
    ChristiH4000 Posts: 531 Member
    I'm Italian and Polish... I'm the only one I know of who can insult myself and not understand...

    Wow! I'm filing this in the "awesome self-deprecating jokes I can make about myself" file. Thanks!
  • jaxdiablo
    jaxdiablo Posts: 580
    I make fat jokes because I learned in highschool and grade school that it was better to beat them to the punch than be the punch line.

    As for the jokes themselves it's usually something along the lines of -

    "When I die and get cremated everyone in a 5 county radius is going to take a deep breath and be like "Doughnuts?"

    "I can't wait till I pass, I'm picking the 6 people in my life I hated the most to carry my casket."

    "I swear to god, I'm only 120 pounds, the rest is my **** wrapped around my waist (ok that's not self deprecating, but it is funny)."

    "I'm not fat, I'm just still getting over my hibernation when I was living in Alaska."
  • Patty_Petz
    Patty_Petz Posts: 91
    About 90% of my joke are self deprecating...but I don't care what people think, so it's a win-win. That's nguyen-nguyen for my peeps.

    :heart: :laugh: :heart:
    I'm Italian and Polish...I'm the only one I know of who can insult myself and not understand...

    :heart: :laugh: :heart:

    I appreciate the fine art of self deprecating humor...done well it is faboo! Otherwise, it is as others said - awkward. :grumble:
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
    I always make fun of myself because if I don't, most people are intimidated by my good looks and fantasical charm.

    Yes...this says it just right.
  • foodfight247
    foodfight247 Posts: 767 Member
    I always make fun of myself because if I don't, most people are intimidated by my good looks and fantasical charm.

    Yes...this says it just right.


    I like that way of thinking. :-)
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
    I always make fun of myself because if I don't, most people are intimidated by my good looks and fantasical charm.

    Yes...this says it just right.


    I like that way of thinking. :-)

    let's have a foodfight!
  • foodfight247
    foodfight247 Posts: 767 Member
    Ok. What are you armed with?
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    If you're deprecating yourself because you're insecure, yes, stop.

    If, on the other hand, you're like me, you have such an inflated ego that in order to stay grounded you require a rope-wielding team of Macy's-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade-balloonsmen . . . in which case, yes, deprecate.
  • zanAspera
    zanAspera Posts: 29 Member
    I think the other key to this rather than necessarily confidence is if you are talking yourself serious with your jokes. Because even less than confident people or comedic personas can be hilarious! The unofficial anthropologist for Hacker/Geek culture Eric S. Raymond call this the "Ha Ha only Serious!" kind of joke. Where you make a jest that is exaggerated just barely enough to be a joke, but is too close to how you perceive the truth to be that the underlying conflict is painfully clear. Though this too has it's moments...

    Maybe that's close enough to the same thing as confidence.. It may be a fine hair to slice... Because the type of confidence that takes itself too seriously is not the tao of true confidence.

    Anyway.. I'll PM Mr. Cape to make sure he gets the joke. }}:P
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    People have a hard time telling self deprecating humor from compliment fishing.
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