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Self-deprecation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Self-deprecation (etymologically better is self-depreciation[citation needed]) is a form of humor in which people or comedians make jokes about themselves, their shortcomings, or their culture, usually without being guided by any underlying self-esteem issues.
The boundaries for this kind of humor are often more relaxed than for other kinds of humor. For example, whereas a Jewish joke told by a non-Jew may be considered anti-semitic and offensive, the same joke told by a Jew may be taken in good humor. The ability to laugh at oneself and the absurdities in one's own culture is often considered a good character trait.
Many comedians use self-deprecating humor to avoid seeming arrogant or pompous, and to help the audience identify with them. A number of comics, including Conan O'Brien, Phyllis Diller, Rodney Dangerfield, Jon Stewart, Woody Allen, David Letterman, Seth Neller, Larry David, Dave Hughes, Brian Regan, and, later in his career, George Burns - built their entire acts around their own perceived unattractiveness, weight, age and/or lack of appeal to the opposite sex.
Self-deprecation can also be used to better oneself in social situations.[1]
Self-deprecation also refers to making negative statements regarding one's own appearance or abilities, such as saying "I'm so fat" or "I'm such an idiot", often with the intended result that their friends will tell them that they really aren't. Statements and patterns of behavior such as these often indicate self image or self esteem problems.
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