第3161期:The 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? 根据慈善机构 Comic Relief 最近的一项调查，超过三分之二的英国人认为，能够嘲笑自己，或者我们所说的“自嘲式幽默”，是英国文化的一个决定性组成部分。 英国喜剧演员伦尼·亨利爵士表示，这不是为了贬低自己，而是为了让人们团结在一起。 经过多年的单口喜剧表演，莱尼表示，嘲笑自己是“与一个充满陌生人的房间建立联系的最快方式之一”。 但是，什么时候取笑自己是好事，什么时候是坏事呢？ 会不会太过分了？

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'. 当一个人以轻松的方式指出自己的缺点时，可以让他们看起来更有人情味，也让别人感到舒服。 2025 年一项名为“当笑声伤害和帮助时”的研究将被嘲笑的快乐与更高的社会联系联系起来，换句话说，就是对一个群体有更强的归属感。 相反，“害怕被嘲笑”的特质，或害怕被嘲笑的人，与更大程度的回避友谊和较低的生活满意度有关。 即使是领导者也可能从自嘲式幽默中受益。 斯坦福大学商学院讲师内奥米·巴格多纳斯 (Naomi Bagdonas) 表示，对于当今的领导者来说，“幽默是信任的灵丹妙药和傲慢的解药”。

Making lightof 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. 淡化负面情况也可以成为一种应对机制。 想象一下，您正在开展一个小组项目，并且出现了问题。 当每个人都惊慌失措并试图寻找责任时，你讽刺地说：“好吧，一切进展顺利！” 这让人们可以笑一笑，他们可能会对这种情况感到更积极。 挑战并没有消失，但至少人们感觉不那么紧张，并且感觉更有能力应对这种情况。 欧洲《心理学杂志》2024 年发表的一项研究发现，在出现问题时保持幽默的观点可以带来更大的恢复力。

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. 当然，平衡总是存在的。 虽然自嘲式幽默可以拉近人与人之间的距离，让糟糕的情况不至于那么难以承受，但重要的是它不能来自于痛苦和自我憎恨。 最好只有当你接受了自己所取笑的缺点或错误之后，才可以拿自己开玩笑。