The Humor Behind Hating Yourself
Start writing a post
Entertainment

The Humor Behind Hating Yourself

Why is self-deprecation humor so popular?

16
The Humor Behind Hating Yourself
tumblr.com

I may be what the folks call a young, hip millennial, but if there’s one thing I have a hard time understanding, it’s the type of humor we use online. That is, self deprecating humor. Call it a category of comedy or a coping method, I’m not here to rat on it. My friends are certainly no strangers to cracking these types of jokes, and I enjoy a good self deprecation meme every once in a while. Still, the sheer volume of these kinds of jokes on the internet shakes me a little bit.

Hannah Jane Parkinson from The Guardianmentions that self deprecation humor may have stemmed from our guilt of laziness. Think about it. When you log onto Facebook, what do you see? From engagement announcements to the emotional job acceptance speech, our Facebook feed is full of friends going out and accomplishing their dreams that make you feel like the steps you’re taking in your life are wrong. So, we counter with jokes about being antisocial and living an extremely unmotivated lifestyle, and once we see that other people feel that way we grow reassured by the fact that all of us are living imperfect lives.

Despite the solidarity, I can’t help but think that some of these self deprecation jokes can come from a very real, and vulnerable place in a person, especially a young person.

Every single human that walks this earth experiences physical, mental, and emotional setbacks, and humor helps us deal with these losses and these experiences vary based on generation groups. What affected baby boomers is going to be different than what affects millennials. In this case, for millennials it could be the pressure to go into a “safe” major that will pay well, find a job, buy a house, and have kids, pay back college debt if you have any…. the list goes on and on and the stress is enough to take out that pressure in the form a joke about your dysfunctional young adult life.

So, what’s the solution? How do we get young people to feel better about themselves and boost their spirits? Well, the change won’t happen overnight. Maybe the answer is time. Transforming stress and embarrassment into this type of popular sense of humor can be liberating. Besides the validation of being funny, this sort of outlet to take out your pressures, societal or familial, can help build self-confidence. If we embrace who we are and where we’re at in life through an honest lens, we can free yourselves from the appearance of perfection that is also very prevalent (if not more so than self-deprecation) on social media.

So, perhaps it is both a style of comedy and coping method for many millennials trying to make sense of adulthood, and who am I to get in the way of that? This style of humor may not be my cup of tea, but it could soothe whatever troubles someone else is going through.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58149
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37456
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959100
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192839
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments