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Humblebragging — bragging masked by a complaint or humility — really infuriates people. Mainly because the disguise isn't fooling us.
A 2018 study from researchers at Harvard and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill found that it is even worse than regular, straight-up self-promotion. The latter at least comes off as genuine!
However, some folks just can't help it. They let their insecurities get the best of them and put their false modesty on full display, ready to savor all the attention and recognition it might earn.
When that happens, they end up on a subreddit called r/HumbleBrag. The online community for shaming this pitiful self-presentation. Continue scrolling and check out some of its top posts.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Very Pretty Girl Btw
"[Humblebragging] is such a common phenomenon. All of us know some people in our lives, whether in social media or in the workplace, who do this annoying thing," study author Ovul Sezer, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, said. "You think, as the humblebragger, that it's the best of both worlds, but what we show is that sincerity is actually the key ingredient."
Sezer and her team conducted a series of experiments, trying to determine how common humblebragging actually is and how others perceive it. They discovered that humblebragging is everywhere: Out of 646 people surveyed, 70% could recall a humblebrag they'd heard recently.
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#2
Ah Yes
The researchers then established that there are two distinct types of humblebrags. The first falls back on a complaint ("I hate that I look so young; even a 19-year-old hit on me!") while the second relies on humility ("Why do I always get asked to work on the most important assignment?"). The results showed that roughly 60% of the humblebrags people remembered fell into the complaint category.
#3
I Laughed More Than I Should’ve
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
My almost 7 year old has recently learnt how to do his buttons up and I am very proud. It’s not a race to see whose child is the best, the smartest, tallest, best looking etc.
#4
Woman Got Called Out In A Facebook Group For Humblebragging About Paying For Someone’s Burger And Fries
The researchers also carried out experiments to see how people responded to humblebrags, particularly focusing on the bragger's perceived likability and competence. They found that regular bragging was better on both counts, it at least comes off as genuine, Sezer explained. Interestingly, even complainers were more likable and seemed more competent than humblebraggers of any type.
#5
These People Are Cancer
#6
Loves His Niece
"If you want to announce something, go with the brag and at least own your self-promotion and reap the rewards of being sincere, rather than losing in all dimensions," Sezer said.
It would be even better if there was someone to 'wingman' your boasting. "If someone brags for you, that's the best thing that can happen to you, because then you don't seem like you're bragging," Sezer added.
#7
Saw This In My Feed And Felt It Belonged Here
#8
Mum's Stretching The Truth
However, we may want to rethink our harsh criticism of humblebraggers. We may be doing it ourselves without realizing it. "We all do it, to some extent," Sezer said. "I hope I don't sound like I’m humblebragging when I talk about this research."
#9
If Only There Were A Way To Prevent This From Happening
#10
" Just A Kid In My Bedroom" Who Is Actually A God
Sarcastic Panda 4 years ago
wait what the hell did I just read?? Harry got the right reaction tbh
#11
Bible Belt Humblebrag
Serial pacifist 4 years ago
Yeah, and posting it on Twitter so angels could see your deed and retweet it in heaven.
#12
Subtle
LeighAnne Brown-Pedersen 4 years ago
It’s your humility that makes you attractive. Or your sarcasm.
Additional studies examined the causes of humblebragging; in other words, if this strategy is so bad, why do people engage in it at all? After all, many situations in life involve either complaining or bragging. The humblebrag, the authors discovered, occurs when people try to elicit both sympathy and admiration.
#13
This Guy Has Too Many Friends
#14
Such Grace. Such Restraint
#15
You Lose Touch So Fast
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
Actually, it is true, and really annoying. I am French, but sometimes I use English words because I cannot remember the French ones.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
My sister is a native english speaker but fluent in french: years ago when she was at high school she won two scholarship trips with only a few weeks at home inbetween, to Noumeà and then to Clermont Ferrand for 6 months. The only english she used when there was emailing us back at home: the emails got more and more basic, until after several months she emailed me to clarify if airport was english for aeroport, or if she had made it (airport) Up, as she just couldn't remember!
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Lauren Potts 4 years ago
I know you commented weeks ago but I think they're talking about the person who said "it gets harder with 7"
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RadicalPebble 4 years ago
this isn't bragging, its just sharing your opinion. I see nothing wrong
Phoenix 4 years ago
I learned German a few years back, completely forgot everything except the numbers. Yet my default counting language is German, like I’ll just start counting in German during maths class and my teacher just stares at me weirdly until I realize I wasn’t using English.
Alphabet Soupy 4 years ago
That’s wild! It’s the complete opposite for me, I still count in my native language, it’s way faster than subconsciously translating so I guess I just revert to how I learned to count.
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Nigel Rodgers 4 years ago
Honestly sometimes wish I could turn other languages of. It's so draining.
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
I'm bilingual, have a mixed bag of an accent and am not bothered if I mix up words, so long as who I'm communicating with can understand me.
Sanna Marilka 4 years ago
Why is speaking two languages considered bragging? I live a bilingual life and this happens all the time. I call it semilingual (because in Finnish it sounds funny).
Roxy Eastland 4 years ago
There are people that speak this many languages, for example in areas of India, with both parents from different types of India, already there's the local language, the language for mum's family, the language for dad's family, Hindi for officialdom etc, and English. That's five just learnt as that person grows up. Then they might take a language or two at school. And I bet they could easily start losing vocab in one they don't use at much. I don't see this as a humble brag at all, just a comment.
C.S. E. 4 years ago
The only way to counteract this is by using all your languages frequently, extensively, every day. It's a lot to keep up with. The only way I've been able to fight against it is, if I'm in an English speaking environment, my home environment is in another language - reading, writing, entertainment, etc. Learned that from my friends who spoke Spanish at home, English in the outer world. Kind of dual immersion, I guess. Then you have a problem with code switching, but you deal.
marianne eliza 4 years ago (edited)
I'm getting old and I mix English, Spanish, and German in a single sentence. Not because I want to it's just that some nouns and verbs are easier in other languages.
CatWoman312 4 years ago
This doesn’t really belong here. People who speak 2 languages do experience this as well.
InfectedVoice 4 years ago
English but from Italian parents who spoke Italian growing up but mostly speak English now, I will lost the Italian if I don't practice with time but English never goes anywhere.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago (edited)
I genuinely agree with the lower half though. My language skills just get worse over time in both lol
Xylle Flora 4 years ago
I speak three languages, and there are words in them that I can't define in another language (this mostly happens with Hindi because English and French are kind of similar.)
Marcellus the Third 4 years ago
I think this is just practical observation. In Russia and the US/Aus/UK you're not considered limited for only speaking one language, in much of the rest of the world... not so much. Much of Africa and Asia speaks 3--4 languages. If you learn one romance language (spanish, italian, french, portuguese, romansch, romanian) then stop using it frequently and learn another, you'll find the first one "overwritten". Similar for say danish/dutch/german, where you'll additionally mix up genders.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 4 years ago
This is just a very used joke. It only works in English, doesn't work in two other languages I can speak.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago (edited)
Come now no need for that. We all have trials and I'm sorry for yours. I had to relearn how to walk(not for the first time given I have spinabifida), speak, use the loo, everything really after a coma, intestines half removed etc, 3 years ago, but I don't begrudge anyone who hasn't had to do that: they no doubt have had struggles of their own to deal with. Nb this isn't a pity party, I'm just trying to say that we all take things for granted that others struggle to attain. I'm truly sorry for the awful barrage of medical events you suffered, and applaud your resilience in working hard to recover your language, and I really am being genuine when I say this :)
Load More Replies... #16
It’s So Annoying, Especially Because It’s Daily
Unfortunately, as we already discussed, this produces the opposite effects. However, it is possible that even though you dislike seeing humblebragging in others, you feel that you’ve got no choice but to model the behavior of people in your network who use this strategy. But the Harvard-UNC study suggests you need to fight off this impulse.
#17
So Embarrassing
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
Sooo embarrassing.....that you feel the need to pretend to react for likes. Let your dancing speak itself, smh
#18
This Is The Very Definition Of Humble Brag
LeighAnne Brown-Pedersen 4 years ago
Anyone with one comma in their account isn’t broke... but two commas! And do they have Wells Fargo in Dubai. No, really, this is from Warren Buffet in Omaha, right!
#19
She Made Up A Story In Order To Flex
#20
University Is So Wierd
When you think about it, no wonder so many humblebraggers reveal their true colors online. Social media is a lot to blame for this.
As writer Roxanne Batty pointed out, Zuckerberg, for example, promised Facebook would "give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." Systrom, a year after starting Instagram, described the platform as "a storytelling service…the way you go out in the world and tell a story about your life." Not to be outshone, Snapchat took this rhetoric one step further, their original mission being to "empower people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together."
It all may sound lovely, but people have taken these slogans to the extreme.
#21
Ughhh, Im Sooeee Bad At Drawing
Shelp 4 years ago
How I understand it: what he drew was the eye on the right, but because people like him and don't want him to feel bad, they pretend his drawing to be as good as the one on the left. That's my headcanonical explanation and I don't want any facts or logical explanation to divert me from it.
#22
A Humblebrag Of The Finest Quality
Serial pacifist 4 years ago
Yeah, just a few more inches short of being secure, those darn two inches down there...
#23
Good On You For Being Fluent In 4 Languages
Consider Instagram. The platform focuses on images, the perfect breeding ground for the infamous humblebrag. "Selfies, the bread and butter of the network, are a source of bragging in their own right. But to downplay this outright display of narcissism, they are now combined with heartfelt captions," Batty said.
#24
What She Said: Happy Mother’s Day, Ugly!
Serial pacifist 4 years ago
"You gave birth to a dynamite". Luckily it didn't blow up in her face.
#25
Girl I Went To School With Always Posts Dumb Things Like This
#26
Humblebrag
HufflePuffleGothleGay 4 years ago
why is catcalling immpressive? its usually creepy old men jackin off in allyways?
#27
Self Explanatory
"Look at this amazing shot of me where my skin and hair are flawless! But oops, I actually wanted to talk about how life is a struggle and being a social media influencer isn't all it's cracked up to be... #selfcare #love #mentalhealth." Sounds familiar? That's probably because you've seen this post a million times.
#28
*my Wife- That's Amazing
#29
Floyd Mayweather The King Of The Humblebrag
LeighAnne Brown-Pedersen 4 years ago
Way to take a proud moment in your son’s life and make it about you. My mom would be so proud.
#30
Everybody Wants To Do Me Lmao!
"In a move to take some of the market share from Snapchat, Instastories also became part of the platform in 2016. These 24-hour windows provided a wealth of opportunities for a quick snappy humble brag (that disappears, so it’s all good). 'Oh, look at me with all my friends at this party! I should be studying for my law degree (at Harvard, whoops!) #FML #lifeishard.'"
#31
Poor Guy
#32
How Would I Know?
#33
Hope Its A Good One
The term itself was coined by the comedian Harris Wittels, a writer for the NBC series “Parks and Recreation,” who collects hundreds of these cockeyed chestnuts on his Twitter feed and in his new book, both called “Humblebrag.”
#34
Don’t Mind Me Just Getting My Iphones Mixed Up
#35
He Wasn't Event Trying To Flex, Guys. He's Just That Rich
#36
Weird Flex But Okay
#37
Don't Be Too Humble
#38
I Wish I Could Be Unhealthy But I’m Just Too Fit!
#39
Can’t Relate
#40
Phew!! That Was A Close One
#41
Guys She's Struggling With Finding Herself
Serial pacifist 4 years ago (edited)
I think you should unite your parents' affiliations and be an English patient.
#42
$4000 A Day? How Will He Eat?
#43
Yeah...the Switch Makes It Enjoyable
#44
Oh Such Agony
#45
I’m Sure Your Sister Appreciates That Post
#46
“Check Out How Many Guys Want Me!”
#47
Mom, You're Making My Life So Hard!!
#48
Girl On My Facebook
#49
She Is Fed Up With All The Guys Giving Her Business Cards
Steffen Buchert 4 years ago
If he gives you his business card, he probably wants to do business. And 3 clients in a month is pretty lame.
#50
“I’m An Actor”
#51
Humble And Using A Blackberry
#52
Ugh I’m Just Such A Good Person
Anthony Goldstein (female) 4 years ago
if people helped homeless people as much as they claimed too, we wouldn't have as big a crisis.
#53
I Do The Best Science!!!
#54
This Girl Is Skinny And Her Twitter Is Filled With This Type Of Content
#55
My Parents Are So Rich. Help
#56
I’ve Never Seen Someone With Such A High Ego
#57
She Always Posts Things Like This, She’s A Mother
#58
Seen On Twitter
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
It is not humblebragging, it is just bragging. There is no fake humility here. And if it is true, she has the right to do it because mind your own business dude.
#59
Thank You Mr. President
#60
Ugh, I Hate When This Happens. It’s So Embarrassing
#61
Bruh You Didn’t Show Us Any Options
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
Why show options? Just come up with suggestions, she probably has it in her huge wardrobe anyway.
#62
Too Much Snapchat
IcyRedWaffle 4 years ago
None of that will matter in 10 years when you realise none of them are friends
#63
It’s Whatever Man
#64
Sauceless And Disappointed
#65
Really Needed That Piece Of Information In My Life. Thank You
Sarcastic Panda 4 years ago
i get the face and the number plate... but why block out her stomach?
#66
In Her Sleep
#67
I'm So Smart And Rich
Jo Johannsen 4 years ago
I enjoy looking things up on Wikipedia, despite having gone to college. Because one has nothing to do with the other.
#68
My Friend Constantly Posts Things Like This
#70
Oh I Bet You Did
#71
Too Many Guys Check Me Out
#72
Gucci Heart Lol
#73
Yes, I’m Sure Girls Were Judging You For Eating A Sandwich
Princess Amara 4 years ago
I'm so quirky I eat sandwiches, work out, eat more than you, have a 24 inch waist and get this I'm also a velociraptor. 😂👏💁🏼♀️
#74
Local Instagrammer Has A Tough Life
#75
As A Med Student
Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
Not a med student, but one quick Google search and: Different painkillers work in different ways. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin work by changing the way your body responds to pain and swelling. Mild opiate painkillers such as codeine work by blocking pain messages in your brain and spinal cord.
#76
Saw This On Facebook, Must Be So Hard For You Being This Smart
#77
This Isn't Mine But I Felt Like It Should Be Here
#78
Let Me Play You A Song On The World's Smallest Violin
Ryan Deschanel 4 years ago
Nobody cares, dude. You don't need to share your every thought with the world.
#79
My Favourite Replies Are When People Brag For Me
KrabbyGramps666 4 years ago
You’ve literally done nothing but make kids sweats at games because you are
#80
Does This Count?
My Life at 4 years ago
When smart kids debating the answer "9" or "-9" for math test and my answer was "mitochondria is the powerhouse of cell"
#81
Everyone Bonding Over Making Minimum Wage And Laughing At The Tweet, Then There’s This Guy
#82
On A Meme Where It Implies Popular Girls Gets 250 Likes On Their Profile Pics
#83
She Means It In The Most“Humble “ Way... This Is Her Entire Persona, All The Time
#84
Ah Yes, Sell Some Fortnite Codes
#85
Just Reporting The News.... Nothing Else
#86
So Prom Was Last Night And I Had A Friend Post This To His Story
#87
Strangers Are Always Staring At My [butt]. Amusing!
![Strangers Are Always Staring At My [butt]. Amusing!](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/6034d85d89c86_bxg281w65rc31__700.jpg "Strangers Are Always Staring At My [butt]. Amusing!")
#88
A Dude I Used To Go To School With On His Snapchat
pusheen buttercup 4 years ago
Woah. Don't judge them, they have a job at least, which isn't always easy! Yes you shouldn't hit on customers but don't call out their profession
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What do you think ?
Doggo Froggo 4 years ago
Wow. Just wow. I don't think many posts make me feel sick, cringe and laugh all at the same time.
Sky Render 4 years ago
A few of these exemplify why I never discuss any of my atypical attributes with people I don't know. No matter what it is, no matter how inconsequential those traits might be, someone is going to interpret it as bragging. Though most of those were pretty blatantly just attention-whoring...
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Agree but part of the point is to be socially / self aware enough to know appropriate venues for talking about atypical / fancy traits of yours. Of course there’s also a limit to that. People are so jealous and in such struggle / pain that they will see a person doing well and automatically label that person a braggart. In which case there’s no justification in hiding your atypical or expensive things just to make someone feel better.
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Ron Santos 4 years ago
Title is wrong. More like Two Times People “Humble bragged” and Got Shamed for it, plus 48 times nobody said sh¡t about it.”
Mark Muirhead 4 years ago
Yes, exactly. I'm looking at half of them wondering where the shaming comments are. There is one (about 3 year old saying words don't die) and there IS a picture where someone has replied "that didn't happen" but it's not here. What's going on with Bored Panda these days?
Load More Replies...
jonnotheGOAT 4 years ago
nobody:........ the girls who are 100x better than me in art class: omg look at this self portrait it's so bad lol
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
It makes me sad to see how many attention-seekers there are on social media... social media platforms have sure enabled a lot of people to over-share (mostly a load of b*llocks).
Cori 4 years ago
Right!? The only social media I bother with, other than BP, is Instagram. You'd have to really dig through my account to find a picture of me because 95% of my content is my madcap assortment of rescue animals and my kids. I couldn't tell you how many followers I have because I genuinely don't care. I feel so bad for people whose self worth depends on 'likes'. It must be a truly miserable existence.
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Brian Irby 4 years ago
Wonderful. Another post of "Someone does something or says something stupid and the internet shames them for it.." I hope a mob gets these people fired and destroys their lives for doing something stupid. Actually, I didn't read the article. I have enough toxicity in my life without reading another of these painful shaming posts. But, it seems the world tilts towards public shaming. Too bad we dismantled the stocks.
Karin Jansen 4 years ago
Isn't almost every single post on Instagram or Facebook a humble brag though? "Look at this selfie of me eating a bagel. Now upvote and tell me I'm pretty and quirky!"
Mark and Elmo 4 years ago
They really be trying to act cool so others could get a reaction to their stupidity. Bull****.
Lynny Brobst 3 years ago
It's like when a kid gets in the pool and mom is distracted so the kid does "tricks" to get her to look. "MOM LOOK MOM!! I DID A HANDSTAND! ARE YA LOOKIN? LOOK I CAN FLOAT! MOOMMMMMM!!!??" Pretty much the same thing lol
Joyce Blodgett 3 years ago
I think I'd far rather live the very simple, very quiet life I do than to have to make up tales that others can see through. In this day and age of the faster-than-lightning speed of most of the Internet, where lies can be proven to be just that, why say things that aren't true? Just a rhetorical question, not one worth answering.
Luisa Vasconcelos 4 years ago
I could read only 50. (yes I'm bragging) . Too much to handle this need to be superior.
CatWoman312 4 years ago
I rolled my eyes so many times at these posts I feel like I might be cross eyed now
Ivana 4 years ago
It has actually become really popular for people to brag about their wealth. Younger audiences love it and I have no idea why. People that flaunt expensive houses and cars, even straight up pictures with a ton of cash get a ton of followers. Like the freaking Kardashians, people are just super into this sort of thing and I don't get it.
Mere Cat 4 years ago (edited)
I'd say that if someone buys a homeless person food just to brag about it on social media, brag away! The homeless person has food they wouldn't otherwise have = good! (Then there are the a-holes that are lying about their "charity", eff them.) Edit: just to make clear: I'm not saying the bragger is a nice person (far from it) but they brought good to the world on that instance, no matter the motives.
Doggo Froggo 4 years ago
Wow. Just wow. I don't think many posts make me feel sick, cringe and laugh all at the same time.
Sky Render 4 years ago
A few of these exemplify why I never discuss any of my atypical attributes with people I don't know. No matter what it is, no matter how inconsequential those traits might be, someone is going to interpret it as bragging. Though most of those were pretty blatantly just attention-whoring...
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Agree but part of the point is to be socially / self aware enough to know appropriate venues for talking about atypical / fancy traits of yours. Of course there’s also a limit to that. People are so jealous and in such struggle / pain that they will see a person doing well and automatically label that person a braggart. In which case there’s no justification in hiding your atypical or expensive things just to make someone feel better.
Load More Replies... Ron Santos 4 years ago
Title is wrong. More like Two Times People “Humble bragged” and Got Shamed for it, plus 48 times nobody said sh¡t about it.”
Mark Muirhead 4 years ago
Yes, exactly. I'm looking at half of them wondering where the shaming comments are. There is one (about 3 year old saying words don't die) and there IS a picture where someone has replied "that didn't happen" but it's not here. What's going on with Bored Panda these days?
Load More Replies... jonnotheGOAT 4 years ago
nobody:........ the girls who are 100x better than me in art class: omg look at this self portrait it's so bad lol
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
It makes me sad to see how many attention-seekers there are on social media... social media platforms have sure enabled a lot of people to over-share (mostly a load of b*llocks).
Cori 4 years ago
Right!? The only social media I bother with, other than BP, is Instagram. You'd have to really dig through my account to find a picture of me because 95% of my content is my madcap assortment of rescue animals and my kids. I couldn't tell you how many followers I have because I genuinely don't care. I feel so bad for people whose self worth depends on 'likes'. It must be a truly miserable existence.
Load More Replies... Brian Irby 4 years ago
Wonderful. Another post of "Someone does something or says something stupid and the internet shames them for it.." I hope a mob gets these people fired and destroys their lives for doing something stupid. Actually, I didn't read the article. I have enough toxicity in my life without reading another of these painful shaming posts. But, it seems the world tilts towards public shaming. Too bad we dismantled the stocks.
Karin Jansen 4 years ago
Isn't almost every single post on Instagram or Facebook a humble brag though? "Look at this selfie of me eating a bagel. Now upvote and tell me I'm pretty and quirky!"
Mark and Elmo 4 years ago
They really be trying to act cool so others could get a reaction to their stupidity. Bull****.
Lynny Brobst 3 years ago
It's like when a kid gets in the pool and mom is distracted so the kid does "tricks" to get her to look. "MOM LOOK MOM!! I DID A HANDSTAND! ARE YA LOOKIN? LOOK I CAN FLOAT! MOOMMMMMM!!!??" Pretty much the same thing lol
Joyce Blodgett 3 years ago
I think I'd far rather live the very simple, very quiet life I do than to have to make up tales that others can see through. In this day and age of the faster-than-lightning speed of most of the Internet, where lies can be proven to be just that, why say things that aren't true? Just a rhetorical question, not one worth answering.
Luisa Vasconcelos 4 years ago
I could read only 50. (yes I'm bragging) . Too much to handle this need to be superior.
CatWoman312 4 years ago
I rolled my eyes so many times at these posts I feel like I might be cross eyed now
Ivana 4 years ago
It has actually become really popular for people to brag about their wealth. Younger audiences love it and I have no idea why. People that flaunt expensive houses and cars, even straight up pictures with a ton of cash get a ton of followers. Like the freaking Kardashians, people are just super into this sort of thing and I don't get it.
Mere Cat 4 years ago (edited)
I'd say that if someone buys a homeless person food just to brag about it on social media, brag away! The homeless person has food they wouldn't otherwise have = good! (Then there are the a-holes that are lying about their "charity", eff them.) Edit: just to make clear: I'm not saying the bragger is a nice person (far from it) but they brought good to the world on that instance, no matter the motives.
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