Can you laugh at yourself?

[floo]

I think being able to laugh at yourself is a virtue, it is far better than taking yourself too seriously.

Where I am concerned being such a daft old bat there is plenty to laugh at as my family will tell you!

[OH MY WORLD!]

Oh sure, no problem, I'll just go stand in front of a mirror have a riot!

http://babyanimalzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/6a010535647bf3970b01156e4e1388970c-800wi.jpg

[Walt Zingmatilder]

No!


Absolutely out of the question.

[OH MY WORLD!]

Being able to laugh at yourself is fine but if you use it as an excuse to be a goof, using it as a pass to get away with negative social habits, then I would say one is a self centered brat.

[Gordon]

No!


Absolutely out of the question.

I you can't laugh at yourself, Vlad, perhaps some of us could lend a hand 

[Hope]

The ability to laugh at oneself is perhaps the sole most important means of retaining mental well-being.

[BashfulAnthony]

author=Hope link=topic=10739.msg546658#msg546658 date=1439574618]
The ability to laugh at oneself is perhaps the sole most important means of retaining mental well-being.

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

Connect with your friends, family, neighbours and people at work. Have a conversation, pass the time of day, make time for that chat.
Be Active. Find a physical activity that you enjoy, go for a walk, gardening, anything.
Take the time to look at the day. Savour the moment
Keep Learning. Try something; perhaps finding a new hobby.
Give or do something nice for a friend or neighbour;  make some time for others.

To merely be able to laugh at oneself is fatuous.

[Rhiannon]

Being able to laugh at yourself is fine but if you use it as an excuse to be a goof, using it as a pass to get away with negative social habits, then I would say one is a self centered brat.

If 'I'm good at laughing at myself' actually means 'I'm happy for people to mock me and pretend to join in so it doesn't hurt so much' then that isn't a good look either.

[Hope]

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

So superficial that it is the advice that I and a number of friends have been given by doctors.  Let's give an example.  You move to a new country or part of your own homeland an need to learn the lingo - be that a foreign language, a strong dialect (Scouse, Geordie, ...) or just the new vocabulary.  You can either refuse to speak until you have got the grammar and vocab clearly organised in your mind, or you can wing it and learn by your mistakes.  Almost inevitably, whichever way you try, you will make mistakes and be laughed at.  If you bottle up your frustrations at making mistakes, you will often end up isolating yourself; if you can relax and laugh at your mistakes with your listeners, not only will you feel far better, they will probably offer to help you, thus breaking the barriers even more.

Its a common piece of advice for language learners and from language teachers.

[BashfulAnthony]

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

So superficial that it is the advice that I and a number of friends have been given by doctors.  Let's give an example.  You move to a new country or part of your own homeland an need to learn the lingo - be that a foreign language, a strong dialect (Scouse, Geordie, ...) or just the new vocabulary.  You can either refuse to speak until you have got the grammar and vocab clearly organised in your mind, or you can wing it and learn by your mistakes.  Almost inevitably, whichever way you try, you will make mistakes and be laughed at.  If you bottle up your frustrations at making mistakes, you will often end up isolating yourself; if you can relax and laugh at your mistakes with your listeners, not only will you feel far better, they will probably offer to help you, thus breaking the barriers even more.

Its a common piece of advice for language learners and from language teachers.

Leading a well-balanced and healthy life is so much more than the ability to laugh at yourself.  I suggest the doctors who gave you that advice might have expanded a little on what is necessary for good mental well-being.

[Hope]

Leading a well-balanced and healthy life is so much more than the ability to laugh at yourself.  I suggest the doctors who gave you that advice might have expanded a little on what is necessary for good mental well-being.

Yup, they did; they pointed out that humour is very good medicine which doesn't cost you, me or the NHS much.

[BashfulAnthony]

Leading a well-balanced and healthy life is so much more than the ability to laugh at yourself.  I suggest the doctors who gave you that advice might have expanded a little on what is necessary for good mental well-being.

Yup, they did; they pointed out that humour is very good medicine which doesn't cost you, me or the NHS much.

But they didn't mention anything more substantial, then?  So, if we see someone walking about laughing inanely, for no apparent reason, it could be you being mentally healthy, and not some kind of nut!     

[floo]

Trust BA to spoil a perfectly sensible thread with his inane comments! One gathers he can't laugh at himself which is very sad!

[Rhiannon]

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

So superficial that it is the advice that I and a number of friends have been given by doctors.  Let's give an example.  You move to a new country or part of your own homeland an need to learn the lingo - be that a foreign language, a strong dialect (Scouse, Geordie, ...) or just the new vocabulary.  You can either refuse to speak until you have got the grammar and vocab clearly organised in your mind, or you can wing it and learn by your mistakes.  Almost inevitably, whichever way you try, you will make mistakes and be laughed at.  If you bottle up your frustrations at making mistakes, you will often end up isolating yourself; if you can relax and laugh at your mistakes with your listeners, not only will you feel far better, they will probably offer to help you, thus breaking the barriers even more.

Its a common piece of advice for language learners and from language teachers.

What you are actually describing is being u afraid to take 'risks' and open oneself up to failure. If I were learning a new language I wouldn't assume I'd be laughed at if I made a mistake. However, if I go in with the attitude that it doesn't matter if I make a mistake then I will be more relaxed when others point it out and we can both find the humour in it.

Of course laughter is important, but when this is recommended for good mental health it means finding things funny with others, even if only on TV - it does not mean exclusively laughing at oneself and I'm not sure too much of that is healthy. The stereotypical 'jolly fat person' comes to mind. Being required to always laugh at oneself actually leaves you open to passive aggressive bullying ('can't you take a joke?') and low self esteem ('I'm such an idiot'). There's a place for it certainly, because not being able to laugh at oneself is restrictive and unattractive. But is it the most singular thing required for good mental health? No.

[ippy]

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

So superficial that it is the advice that I and a number of friends have been given by doctors.  Let's give an example.  You move to a new country or part of your own homeland an need to learn the lingo - be that a foreign language, a strong dialect (Scouse, Geordie, ...) or just the new vocabulary.  You can either refuse to speak until you have got the grammar and vocab clearly organised in your mind, or you can wing it and learn by your mistakes.  Almost inevitably, whichever way you try, you will make mistakes and be laughed at.  If you bottle up your frustrations at making mistakes, you will often end up isolating yourself; if you can relax and laugh at your mistakes with your listeners, not only will you feel far better, they will probably offer to help you, thus breaking the barriers even more.

Its a common piece of advice for language learners and from language teachers.

What you are actually describing is being u afraid to take 'risks' and open oneself up to failure. If I were learning a new language I wouldn't assume I'd be laughed at if I made a mistake. However, if I go in with the attitude that it doesn't matter if I make a mistake then I will be more relaxed when others point it out and we can both find the humour in it.

Of course laughter is important, but when this is recommended for good mental health it means finding things funny with others, even if only on TV - it does not mean exclusively laughing at oneself and I'm not sure too much of that is healthy. The stereotypical 'jolly fat person' comes to mind. Being required to always laugh at oneself actually leaves you open to passive aggressive bullying ('can't you take a joke?') and low self esteem ('I'm such an idiot'). There's a place for it certainly, because not being able to laugh at oneself is restrictive and unattractive. But is it the most singular thing required for good mental health? No.

I have a very good friend that loves cricket, I loathe and detest it we're always trying to get one over the other about it I have to laugh at his quite inventive attempts to promote the game, usually countered by some disparaging remark from myself, he laughs at my extreme (but logical) bias against the game and I still can not understand how he or anyone else can have even the slightest interest in this eternally never ending slow game, we laugh at each other, I enjoy the exchange whichever way it goes and would miss it if we didn't insult each other, he is and will always remain a really good friend of mine.

I hear they will be filming cricket on the time laps system and it can be watched in the evenings where they cover every single thing that happens in the whole days play and this time lapsed edition will only need to be on for about three minutes; coming soon to a theatre near you, (hopefully not near me). 

ippy

[Rhiannon]

Cricket can last for days and still end up as a draw. I suppose it's not quite so pointless if accompanied by a jug of Pimm's and a good book though.

[ippy]

Cricket can last for days and still end up as a draw. I suppose it's not quite so pointless if accompanied by a jug of Pimm's and a good book though.

Any anaesthetic will do, yes Pimms it'll take several of em.

ippy

[jjohnjil]

Cricket can last for days and still end up as a draw. I suppose it's not quite so pointless if accompanied by a jug of Pimm's and a good book though.

Any anaesthetic will do, yes Pimms it'll take several of em.

ippy

 I agree with your friend, Ippy, cricket is the best game in the world by far!

My only religion!

[BashfulAnthony]

That is a hugely superficial answer, and not even appropriate.  It is a serious issue and deserves serious consideration  Generally speaking, there are at least these ways to maintain mental well-being:

So superficial that it is the advice that I and a number of friends have been given by doctors.  Let's give an example.  You move to a new country or part of your own homeland an need to learn the lingo - be that a foreign language, a strong dialect (Scouse, Geordie, ...) or just the new vocabulary.  You can either refuse to speak until you have got the grammar and vocab clearly organised in your mind, or you can wing it and learn by your mistakes.  Almost inevitably, whichever way you try, you will make mistakes and be laughed at.  If you bottle up your frustrations at making mistakes, you will often end up isolating yourself; if you can relax and laugh at your mistakes with your listeners, not only will you feel far better, they will probably offer to help you, thus breaking the barriers even more.

Its a common piece of advice for language learners and from language teachers.

What you are actually describing is being u afraid to take 'risks' and open oneself up to failure. If I were learning a new language I wouldn't assume I'd be laughed at if I made a mistake. However, if I go in with the attitude that it doesn't matter if I make a mistake then I will be more relaxed when others point it out and we can both find the humour in it.

Of course laughter is important, but when this is recommended for good mental health it means finding things funny with others, even if only on TV - it does not mean exclusively laughing at oneself and I'm not sure too much of that is healthy. The stereotypical 'jolly fat person' comes to mind. Being required to always laugh at oneself actually leaves you open to passive aggressive bullying ('can't you take a joke?') and low self esteem ('I'm such an idiot'). There's a place for it certainly, because not being able to laugh at oneself is restrictive and unattractive. But is it the most singular thing required for good mental health? No.

I have a very good friend that loves cricket, I loathe and detest it we're always trying to get one over the other about it I have to laugh at his quite inventive attempts to promote the game, usually countered by some disparaging remark from myself, he laughs at my extreme (but logical) bias against the game and I still can not understand how he or anyone else can have even the slightest interest in this eternally never ending slow game, we laugh at each other, I enjoy the exchange whichever way it goes and would miss it if we didn't insult each other, he is and will always remain a really good friend of mine.

I hear they will be filming cricket on the time laps system and it can be watched in the evenings where they cover every single thing that happens in the whole days play and this time lapsed edition will only need to be on for about three minutes; coming soon to a theatre near you, (hopefully not near me). 

ippy

Anybody who watched the Test at Trent Bridge will understand the drama and excitement cricket can engender.  The 20/20 version always does as well.  It's as usual with you:  no imagination; no attempt to understand anything beyond the banal.

[Shaker]

Anybody who watched the Test at Trent Bridge will understand the drama and excitement cricket can engender.  The 20/20 version always does as well.  It's as usual with you:  no imagination; no attempt to understand anything beyond the banal.

Complete balls, of course; on the few occasions I've been unfortunate enough to have seen cricket I've had to turn it off or over within thirty seconds before I start to eat my own legs from the feet upward out of boredom.

It's not imagination that one lacks to find cricket tedious - on the contrary, you need a very good imagination so that you can be thinking of something interesting

[BashfulAnthony]

Anybody who watched the Test at Trent Bridge will understand the drama and excitement cricket can engender.  The 20/20 version always does as well.  It's as usual with you:  no imagination; no attempt to understand anything beyond the banal.

Complete balls, of course; on the few occasions I've been unfortunate enough to have seen cricket I've had to turn it off or over within thirty seconds before I start to eat my own legs from the feet upward out of boredom.

It's not imagination that one lacks to find cricket tedious - on the contrary, you need a very good imagination so that you can be thinking of something interesting

A really boring, mind-blowingly boring, activity would be to sit down and read a book by Christopher Hitchens.. They were queuing for hours to watch the Trent Bridge Test:  they'd be queuing for hours at the tip to dump Hitchens books.     

[Shaker]

A really boring, mind-blowingly boring, activity would be to sit down and read a book by Christopher Hitchens.

Since you've never done it, how would you know? You should; you'd learn a great deal.

They were queuing for hours to watch the Trent Bridge Test

Pensioners often have little to do and not much to fill the empty day

they'd be queuing for hours at the tip to dump Hitchens books.   

... whereas down here in the real world they've sold by the truckload, of course.

[BashfulAnthony]

A really boring, mind-blowingly boring, activity would be to sit down and read a book by Christopher Hitchens.

Since you've never done it, how would you know? You should; you'd learn a great deal.

They were queuing for hours to watch the Trent Bridge Test

Pensioners often have little to do and not much to fill the empty day

they'd be queuing for hours at the tip to dump Hitchens books.   

... whereas down here in the real world they've sold by the truckload, of course.

I don't know what pensioners, plural, do with their time, and neither do you.  I've seen enough of what Hitchens has to say that to sit down and read it at length would need a pretty big vomit bowl at hand.   If  his books ever sold by the truck-load, it would only be people topping up their fuel for the winter.   

[Shaker]

God is Not Great; no. 2 bestseller on Amazon within a week of release; no. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list within three weeks. And this amongst people with central heating

[BashfulAnthony]

God is Not Great; no. 2 bestseller on Amazon within a week of release; no. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list within three weeks. And this amongst people with central heating

Well, if that's your take, then you'll have to accept that people would much prefer to read the Bible, since that is the best-selling book in the world, ever, and by a huge margin.