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0The UK's favourite type of humour
Over two thirds of Brits agree that being able to laugh at yourself, or what we call 'self-deprecating humour', is a defining part of British culture, according to a recent survey by the charity Comic Relief.
British comedian Sir Lenny Henry says it's not about putting yourself down, it's about bringing people together. After years of doing stand-up comedy, Lenny says that laughing at yourself is "one of the quickest ways to feel connected to a room full of strangers". But when is it good, and when is it bad, to make fun of yourself? Can it be taken too far?
When a person points out their own flaws in a light-hearted way, it can make them seem more human and make others feel comfortable. A 2025 study called 'When Laughter Hurts and Helps' linked the joy of being laughed at with higher social connectedness, in other words, a greater sense of belonging to a group.
Conversely, the trait 'gelotophobe', or someone who fears being laughed at, has been linked to greater friendship avoidance and lower life satisfaction. Even leaders might benefit from self-deprecating humour. Lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business Naomi Bagdonas says that for today's leaders, 'Humour is an elixir for trust and an antidote to arrogance'.
Making light of negative situations can also be a coping mechanism. Imagine you're working on a group project, and something goes wrong. While everyone is panicking and trying to find someone to blame, you say sarcastically, "Well, this is going well!" This gives people permission to laugh a bit, and they might feel more positively about the situation.
The challenge doesn't vanish, but at least people feel less tense and could feel more able to deal with the situation. A 2024 study published in Europe's Journal of Psychology found that maintaining a humorous perspective when things go wrong can lead to greater resilience.
Of course, there's always a balance. While self-deprecating humour can bring people closer and make bad situations less overwhelming, it's important that it doesn't come from a place of bitterness and self-hatred. It's best to make jokes about yourself only once you've made peace with the flaw or mistake you're making fun of.
词汇表
self-deprecating humour [ˈdeprəkeɪtɪŋ] n. 自嘲式幽默
defining [dɪˈfaɪnɪŋ] adj. 标志性的，起决定作用的
putting oneself down 贬低自己，看轻自己
bring people together 使人们团结，拉近人与人之间的距离，把人们凝聚在一起
stand-up comedy 单口喜剧，脱口秀
feel connected 感到有联系，有归属感
light-hearted adj. 轻松愉快的，无忧无虑的
social connectedness [kəˈnektɪdnəs] 社会联结感，社会联系
conversely [ˈkɒnvɜːsli] adv. 相反地
gelotophobe [dʒəˈlɒtəfəʊb] n. 被笑恐惧症者，恐笑症患者（害怕被人嘲笑的人）
elixir [ɪˈlɪksə(r)] n. 灵丹妙药，万能药
antidote [ˈæntidəʊt] n. 解药，解毒剂，缓解办法
arrogance [ˈærəɡəns] n. 傲慢，自大
make light of 对…轻描淡写，不把…当回事
coping mechanism 应对机制
panick [ˈpænɪk] vi. 惊慌失措，恐慌
sarcastically [sɑːˈkæstɪkli] adv. 讽刺地，挖苦地
vanish [ˈvænɪʃ] vi. 消失，消亡
resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns] n. 心理韧性，恢复力
bitterness [ˈbɪtənəs] n. 苦涩，痛苦，怨恨
self-hatred [self ˈheɪtrɪd] n. 自我厌弃，自我憎恨
make peace with 与…和解，坦然接受，释怀
flaw [flɔː(r)] n. 缺点，缺陷，瑕疵
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