Very recently, I found myself enraged at my own ‘self’ for one thing or the other, and it hit me how every other person is doing the same. Self-depreciation runs in the veins of youngsters today.
Everybody wants to be the ‘cool,’ ‘involved,’ and ‘likable’ individual in front of the mass rather than being a narcissist or egotistical. In the world that we exist today, someone who can humor their flaws is approachable and appealing.
“I am so stupid, and I do not know how to do anything properly,” followed by a burst of comfortable laughter, is taken lightly. Do we really pay much attention to such claims made by our friends? Not really.
“Me too,” followed by another series of laughs is our reply. These are small examples. As I mentioned, self-depreciation runs in our veins, and it does more bad than good.
Think about it yourselves, the last time you said something discouraging about yourself, did it make you less confident, or did you let out that sigh of disappointment? If yes, it is high time you realize that you must read this article until the end.
Self-depreciation is used as a cover to mask another situation, make a severe situation lighter, show modesty, feel agreeable, and preempt negative feedback from others.
In 1958, John F. Kennedy first used the word ‘self-depreciation’ to wit about people’s claims against his father for the apparent notion that he had bought votes for his son.
Answer a little test, which I can guarantee you will pass.
Are you usually unable to process compliments? Do you typically find your two internal selves conflicting over which clothes to wear? Do you catch yourself having the instinct to downplay yourself and your efforts?
Are you constantly under the pressure that acknowledging your accomplishments will make you ostentatious?
Voila. You might’ve just scored a full. Don’t be happy, though. The title of this article itself makes it clear that self-depreciation is remarkable only for millennial humor.
You will, in most cases, successfully make people laugh with your sense of humor. However, the consequences that will follow will whoosh away all the laughter from your life. These negative evaluations are not unfair to others but to ourselves, resulting in undue stress and doubt. When you do not shove past mistakes down even after they lose relevance and constantly drag yourself down, you will always be carrying a heavy load with you, and mind you, that load will squeeze you out of contentment.
The most important aspect of making mistakes is realizing them and forgiving yourself for them. Failing to do so means inhibiting your growth from them. If you cannot move on from the past, you cannot live in the present.
Self-deprecation makes you less confident. It might result in anxiety and depression, it affects your relationships with people, and the worse, you start feeling less optimistic.
At some point, you will get so used to self-deprecation that people will take it very frivolously, even if you are suffering. You reach a state where jokes are synonyms to your life, and you do not understand why people laugh at things that are supposed to be funny.
The next time someone is seen talking inferior about themselves, maybe give it a shot to ask them if they are okay and not just laugh at them making fun of themselves. In the end, the decision is yours, whether you make others laugh by bringing yourself down or be able to laugh with them at funny jokes.
Hey! I’m Swastee, I am glad you’re here. Writing helps me, and I hope reading what I write, helps you.