Can you laugh at yourself?

[omega 616]

Funny how "falling off a chair" is shorthand for "laughing at yourself" because it is almost the most embarrassing thing you can do with your clothes on.

You could shit yourself, or do lots of other more embarrassing things with your clothes on. Most of them involve bodily fluids, admittedly.

OT: Can't stand people with no sense of self-awareness or irony about themselves. I moved into halls recently, and there's this one guy who tells us all the same stories over and over again, so now we've taken to interjecting jokey and slightly snide comments. He just looks slightly bemused for a split-second and carries on from exactly where he was.

I hear Americans have some problems with that though - I think it's where the whole, "they don't understand sarcasm" thing comes from. As in, they'll take something as a sleight as opposed to everyone understanding that everyone's fair game for a piss take. Could just be made up still.

It was actually an American who made me make this topic. After watching Marcus brigstock make an American joke or two he said "Boston has been my home since i was born...not sure whether to laugh and enjoy how he choose this place to represent America, or get annoyed that he is making fun of this place. ah fuck him, Mr. English stereotype."

What he said about Boston was "WHOOO, HOME OF THE RED SOCKS, U.S.A! U.S.A!" ...

I have also heard Reginald D Hunter say "British people have a lot of sub text and you like irony and sarcasm, tongue in cheek ... you know, clever ways to be indirect about what you think".

 

[Generalissimo]

for me, it simply isn't possible. i don't laugh at myself, no matter the circumstance. and if i injure my self and you laugh.

then may god have mercy, you'll get the worst ear-bashing EVER.

so no, i don't.

 

[AngloDoom]

I'm male, in the UK, with friends who are also male, who also live in the UK.

I think we only ever stop taking the piss out of ourselves when we take the piss out of each other, or moan about things we can't possibly change...or things we could change if we stopped moaning and started doing.

Also, I've been looking for the comedian who did that stand-up for about a year: Reginal D. Hunter, I like your style.

 

[Blade_125]

Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they will never cease to be amused.


I do like using self-depricating humour..... but I'm not very good at it.

 

[The White Hunter]

Hell! I know myself well enough that I can take the piss out of myself... hell... look at my Avatar... I had that thing for months... and took all the piss-taking and banter! (All friendly of course) because it was a laugh! The excuse I used to the pro-tache friends for why I shaved it off is that I lived to close to a school!

I am also from SW England... so know full well that I am meant to sound like a farmer, and only drive a tractor!

An drink cider. Lots of cider.

OT: Yes! I can! Becuase I am absolutely hilarious. = D |But seriously yeah I can, I don't mind jokes so long as they aren't deliberately unpleasant. A joke is fine but hate is not and I'm fairly laid back about most things. Probably too laid back tbh.

 

[XMark]

Nobody's perfect and dumb things that people do are funny. If you can't laugh at yourself, you're missing a lot of the best jokes

 

[Yopaz]

I tend to take it a little far at times so it just gets sad... but yeah, I can laugh at myself, though I see no joke when it comes to my country, only tears come when I think of that. It's truly a tragedy at times...

 

[SenorNemo]

Taking yourself as a person seriously is very important, metaphysically. But simultaneously being able to laugh at yourself is also important, psychologically. I always take myself seriously, but I can always laugh at myself too. Even if it's only after the fact. Believing oneself to be laughable on a whole is problematic, but I would hate to not be able to do laugh at myself altogether.

 

[kannibus]

Gotta laugh at myself all the time. I mean, the subject matter is so ridiculous that it's tough not to laugh. The man we're dealing with is an obvious idiot after all...

On a serious note, I sort of came to a conclusion when I was a kid and have maintained it ever since, especially when people accuse me of being silly and not serious. If I can bring a little humour into a universe of darkness at my own expense, then hell yes I'll keep being a silly ass.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

Lol, i'm from Yorkshire which means i'm a depressive moaning bastard with a penchant for pies and alcahol. I laugh at this all the time until i spill crumbs and beer on myself...then i moan like a bastard about it.

 

[kortin]

I can, I just need to be around friends. Won't do it with strangers.

 

[omega 616]

I feel sorry for people who can't laugh at themselves. When people see you do something embarrassing, they laugh as it is just human nature ... you can either laugh along and own the shame or storm off and throw a strop, which just makes it all the more fun.