Richard Lewis Thinks He's God.
A common belief held by the populace is that individuals who self-deprecate hate themselves, or at least, feel inferior to the people around them. All of you who believe the above to be true please raise your hand. Now, take that hand and smack yourself in the face. Wake-up! You are wrong.
As a person who uses self-deprecating humor constantly I want to expose our true motivation for such tactics. I make fun of myself because I feel superior to you. I'm so sure in my superiority that I know you sense it too, and I don't want you to feel bad about yourself. Though, I'm superior I'm still sensitive to your feelings. I'm even superior in that way. I actually care about other human beings. Do you? Doubtful. Because I care about your comfort I knock myself down a few pegs so that you don't feel intimidated. If you were my equal I could make fun of you. But your not so I can't. If I did that'd be plain cruel. That'd be like a normal person picking on a mentally challenged person. When we witness someone, who has full brain development, pick on a person who is mentally challenged we think the "normal" person is an asshole. Conversely, when we watch Saturday Night Live make fun of Bill Clinton we laugh. We don't think, "Oh poor Bill. His feelings must be so hurt. That's just too mean." Of course we don't. He's the President of the United States I hope he can take a few jabs from a mediocre sketch comedy show.
If you, the ordinary citizen, were in the presence of Clinton you're ego would feel the size of pea. You'd be uncomfortable. You might be at loss for words. Your awed silence is fine for a self-involved callous politician, but I don't want your vote I want to talk to you. I want to have a free flowing, somewhat stimulating (as best as you can muster) conversation. Your bewildered wonderment at my greatness does me no good. And that's why I and others like me make fun of ourselves. Making fun of you is the equivalent to punching a five-year-old in the face.
Here's a ratio you can use to gage how much respect someone has for you. The more a person makes fun of themselves in your presence the more they think you're inferior to them. However, the more they make fun of themselves the more they want you to feel at ease. And for that you should be grateful.
As a person who uses self-deprecating humor constantly I want to expose our true motivation for such tactics. I make fun of myself because I feel superior to you. I'm so sure in my superiority that I know you sense it too, and I don't want you to feel bad about yourself. Though, I'm superior I'm still sensitive to your feelings. I'm even superior in that way. I actually care about other human beings. Do you? Doubtful. Because I care about your comfort I knock myself down a few pegs so that you don't feel intimidated. If you were my equal I could make fun of you. But your not so I can't. If I did that'd be plain cruel. That'd be like a normal person picking on a mentally challenged person. When we witness someone, who has full brain development, pick on a person who is mentally challenged we think the "normal" person is an asshole. Conversely, when we watch Saturday Night Live make fun of Bill Clinton we laugh. We don't think, "Oh poor Bill. His feelings must be so hurt. That's just too mean." Of course we don't. He's the President of the United States I hope he can take a few jabs from a mediocre sketch comedy show.
If you, the ordinary citizen, were in the presence of Clinton you're ego would feel the size of pea. You'd be uncomfortable. You might be at loss for words. Your awed silence is fine for a self-involved callous politician, but I don't want your vote I want to talk to you. I want to have a free flowing, somewhat stimulating (as best as you can muster) conversation. Your bewildered wonderment at my greatness does me no good. And that's why I and others like me make fun of ourselves. Making fun of you is the equivalent to punching a five-year-old in the face.
Here's a ratio you can use to gage how much respect someone has for you. The more a person makes fun of themselves in your presence the more they think you're inferior to them. However, the more they make fun of themselves the more they want you to feel at ease. And for that you should be grateful.
Comments
"If you feel you are superior try spelling a lot correction."
I mean, really. Just quit comedy now.
"mentaly challenged" = developmentally disabled
"normal" = neurotypical
But, let us pretend for a moment that I was sincere when I proclaimed my supremacy. Why do you care? Why does it bother you so much that some woman you don't know likes to strut around singing her own praises? How does that affect you? Do you yell at homeless people on the subway who think they're the mayor? Ask your therapist why someone feeling good about themselves bothers you so.
I have the disclaimer at the top of this blog, "typo-laden" if misspelled words offend you to this degree perhaps you should have protected yourself from injury and not read on. I don't like to proofread. Why? Because like many of you I'm lazy. Just as you rather sit in your cube and read Gawker rather than doing the work someone is paying you to accomplish. I prefer to watch Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley rather than making my blog literate.
Because I care deeply about each one you, and therefore, I don't want you to subject yourselves to further agony. I advise you not to read E.E. Cummings (he hates capitalizing) and don't touch Jonathan Swift especially his work "A Modest Proposal." I would hate for some of you to contract mad human disease by actually eating a poor child.
Oh and I'll say and write retarded until the cows come home, I could give a shit about political correctness. However, I don't know what to call people who have not been diagnosed as retarded and choose to make fun of a retarded person.
Carolyn, Kukoda, Nina, and one anonymous person thanks for having a contrary opinion to the 8 others.
I FUCKING ROCK!!!!!
ssss... ouch!
Rachael, by the way, you are absolutley right except for the parts about which you are wrong. Self deprecation also rears its creepy head for some people in the presence of their "superior" (eg their boss. or is it spelled ie?) to ickily show understanding of power hierarchies.
I'm not saying people can't feel superior to their "superiors." Was that a double negative, grammarians? I'm saying self deprecation is a tool -- a Leatherman, let's say -- that can be used in many ways, behavioristic-psychology-and-interpersonal-relationship-wise.