Discussion»Questions»Human Behavior» Folks who can laugh at themselves are a lot easier to get along with than those who can't. Is it lack of self-esteem that causes it?
Try as I might, I can't recall any instances of you poking fun at yourself or of you taking light-hearted ribbing against you as harmless fun. I do, however, recall countless times you've taken that ribbing as insulting, mean-spirited "personal attacks".
Perhaps it's just not in your nature.
This post was edited by Randy D at June 19, 2017 10:28 PM MDT
I do think that people who can't laugh at themselves are low on self-esteem. They feel that the slightest criticism is a wholesale criticism of the entire person rather than one small thing they may have said or done.
I agree that low self-esteem can definitely be a factor in one's ability to "take a joke," you could say. Especially since many people who are unable to laugh at themselves can come off very arrogant and proud, which I think more often than not is a disguise for a poor sense of self. Personally, I can laugh at myself about most things but there are definitely some sensitive spots. Do any of you have things that are almost "off-limits" for you when it comes to others poking fun?
That's an excellent question m'dear. I'm thinking. I laugh at myself all the time and there are things I do that have become family jokes. I have no problem with admitting them because they're all true. Are there things that are off limits? I think it has to do more with how people poke fun at you than that they do. You can make fun of people gently and point to their idiosyncracies/foibles gently and with kindness or you can attack/assault/insult and want to cause damage/harm. Some folks don't have a mean bone in their entire bodies and some sadly don't have a kind one. So it depends how the poking fun is done. I'm still trying to think of some super sensitive area and can't. But there probably is something somewhere. My memory isn't as good as she used to be you see. Thank you for your thoughtful analysis mk and Happy Tuesday! :)
People are all different. I think people with an inflated ego are just as likely to fail to appreciate humor at their expense. And some with a normal sense of self are just as likely to dislike being teased or mocked.
When you put it that way, it makes sense. No one WANTS to be made fun of. I find myself getting irritated sometimes when I'm teasing and someone takes heavy offense, but that's kind of silly right? What do we think is supposed to happen when we mock someone?
This post was edited by Randy D at June 19, 2017 10:28 PM MDT
SpunkySenior 