Self-deprecating memes have become a virtual love language. They help us to collectively cope with the woes of adulthood, our existential crises, and that one embarrassing thing we said or did 10 years ago that still haunts us in the shower...
One of the best parts is that they don't discriminate. They call out everyone from the introverts masquerading as extroverts, the procrastinators who said they'd "start the project early," and the emotionally unavailable, chronically tired, overthinking underachievers. These types of memes turn our insecurities into comedy gold. They somehow leave us feeling called out and roasted, yet a bit better about our flaws, all at the same time.
There's a whole corner of the internet dedicated to self-deprecating memes that hit a little too close to home. "I Feel Personally Attacked By This Meme" has more than 502,000 followers, all wallowing in a pool of self-pity while laughing at themselves instead of crying.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best posts from the page for you to scroll through while you secretly berate yourself for that thing you thought nobody knew about you. They're a random mix of painfully relatable memes, and many feel like holding up a mirror. We also explore why self-deprecating humor can be a good thing. You'll find that info between the images.
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Me on a road trip waving my hand under the sink when it has one of those push down knobs that only stays on for 5 seconds.
But in those 5 seconds it delivers enough water at high velocity to soak you to the skin whilst leaving your hands dry.
Load More Replies...THIS. THIS is why I’m scared of automatic toilets. They jump scare me so bad.
I hate these things. The older versions were working fine and serving the purpose. How are these an improvement?
While some people believe we shouldn't talk down to ourselves, there are others who say a bit of self-deprecation (when done right) is great for our mental health. There are even experts who swear by it.
Like Karen Chambre, a psychotherapist with over 40 years of experience. Chambre says she often integrates self-deprecating humor into her sessions with clients.
"Self-deprecating humor reflects people’s flaws, allowing for vulnerability, introspection, identification, and entertainment. When self-deprecating humor is executed well, emotions can be regulated, trust can be established, and connection can be fostered," writes the therapist.
Chambre believes that this type of humor serves as a tool for us to recognize and embrace our flaws and imperfections with warmth and compassion.
I'm 48 years old, Asexual, white, childfree woman that has spent my life in the "Hood" for various reasons. I've become everyone's "Auntie/Sister/Mom"and my Mother (RIP) was "MeeMaw/Mama/Granny" depending on who you ask or talk too. Part of my Mom's obituary was "She was a Surrogate Mom to many in the community" because, it's who she was and the type of person she raised me too be.
My Mom is like this. Total Mommy-Mom type. My condolences to you for the loss of your mother, and thank you for being an awesome person to other human beings.
Load More Replies...Don't you also have to factor in the 2 hours it takes to fall asleep, along with the 3 occasions you have to get up for a pee?
🏆 I get mad because after I get in bed, it takes another hour to fall asleep. That’s an hour I could have spent doomscrolling! /s
Load More Replies...Yes. *googles how to get 4 hours of sleep and feel like 8*
According to the U.K. Therapy Guide, joking about our flaws and imperfections can be healthy. Self-deprecating humour signals high emotional intelligence, helps us diffuse awkward situations, and appeals to a sense of modesty and humility that many of us search for, notes the site. But it adds that this only applies when self-deprecating humor is used in moderation.
"When self-deprecating humour becomes a reflex and stems from feelings and inadequacy and self-loathing, it can be detrimental to your mental health," warn the experts.
Oh look Pandas, I made pad thai! *looks at pad thai* On second thought, make that bad thai instead... -_-" XP
"If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing *poorly* while you're learning to do it well." - Zig Ziglar. Surprise! 😲 You're not instantly as good as the cook in the Thai restaurant 😱... If you keep buying the ingredients and cooking your own pad thai, you'll possibly get better at it. Who knows? Maybe one day, years from now, you'll order pad thai at a restaurant and it'll be good, but not as good as yours!
Good Pad Thai is not easy to make. I have had it in several restaurants in the USA and it is never as good as in Thailand, especially that coffee shop on Sukhumvit Soi 11.
I will never not be surprised everytime I convert dollar to the currency my country use, even when I know that it makes sense as to why it's cheaper here.
Pad thai costs at least $20 before tip, just for the lunch portion, where I live and I live in a Hicksville town that celebrates a rodeo fair for an entire week every year.
I make pad thai myself so I can eliminate the things I am allergic/intolerant to. It never costs anywhere near $45, so maybe I'm just eliminating the expensive stuff. Also, if making it yourself you usually are making more than one serve.
I've no idea what pad thai is, but seeing you call it shïte makes me want to try it. Edit: I found a recipe on the internet, it looks lush, and I will be making it on Sunday.
Load More Replies...Amen! I won't do that one thing I was supposed to do, but I can tell you 42 facts about pigeons I learned while NOT doing that task!
Load More Replies...Finger cots. Effectively latex/nitrile "gloves" for fingers only
Load More Replies...Yup. This is me. I've been putting off tidying some of the junk in the spare room because on the top of the pile is my old dot matrix printer (Panasonic KX-P1180). I am safe right now because it's too much bother to walk the ten steps into the other room, but the moment I have it in my hands a huge rabbit hole will emerge (or maybe a sink hole) and let's just say there's an unopened USB to parallel cable on the bookshelf and I think I can get spare ink ribbons from Amazon.... So the sensible thing to do is quietly close the door and simply pretend the junk isn't there. [rinse and repeat for dozens of other bits of ancient tech; like that Acorn Electron]
I have boxes of stuff I need to either donate or throw out piled against the LR wall. Fortunately, I have a flatscreen TV right in front of my recliner so I don't have to look at the pile.
Several years ago my hard-to-shop-for Dad asked for a cordless circular saw. I got him a saw-shaped pizza cutter. ( Technically correct is the best kind of correct. )
Load More Replies...Gary Delaney: "How can I lose weight, doctor?" "Don't eat anything fatty." "What, like chips and cakes?" "No - don't eat anything, fatty!"
Being able to poke fun at ourselves can also be good for our relationships. According to the experts over at Verywell Mind, people are generally more drawn to others who can laugh at themselves and not take life too seriously.
"By making light of your quirks, you can show that you are comfortable in your skin and less judgmental of the flaws in others," notes that site, adding that it may help boost your likeability and build stronger relationships with others.
The Verywell Mind team says that self-deprecating humor is a great way of expressing the unique and different aspects of your personality. It signals confidence, and helps you show others who you truly are and how you feel.
At my age, I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not that I actually know who Hannah Bahng is. LOL! But I'm also Aussie so I think that helps. 🤣🤣
Load More Replies...*grammar. Putting "lol" in your post doesn't actually make it funny, by the way. One other point: scammers often put spelling and grammar mistakes in phishing text in order that they don't waste time trying to scam people who are intelligent enough to see them for what they are. If you're not sharp enough to spot the errors, you're more likely to be vulnerable to scams. Understanding spelling and grammar is a GOOD thing.
Load More Replies...My school bathroom sinks would always end up spraying your shirt like a sprinkler
I no sooner put a clean sweatshirt on when the tap water went into the sleeve up to the elbow. Still have no idea how that happened.
Or opening the package of cheese and have 1/2 the zip strip detach.
However, many experts warn that there's a thin line between seeing yourself with gentle humor and being self-demeaning or negative.
Poking fun at yourself is only beneficial if you are viewing your flaws or mistakes with kindness, if it allows you to see how embarrassing or difficult situations can be funny, or if it involves being able to laugh at yourself without veering into putting yourself down.
A can taste this picture. 🧀 Looks like grated and sliced Emmenthal. You can do far better - how about grated Cheddar between two slices of Leerdammer with a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano sprinkled on top? Oh, and a pot of Mascarpone to dip into.
My parents were exactly this way... but as an adult I have both hobbies and a talent.
I'm curious - what are your hobbies and talent? :)
Load More Replies...You don't need no talent. You can enjoy painting or making music or writing or racing motorcycles or whatever you want to enjoy doing, without having any special talent. You don't have to be the best in the world or even the best in your neighborhood to enjoy hobbies. You don't need parents to force you, either. Just do what you want.
Same here. I paint, write poetry, stories, grow plants, cook, bake, do craft work, journaling, collect pens and whatnot but have zero talents
Load More Replies...But they can unlock a hidden talent you didn't know you had.
Load More Replies...life is like school for me bc my dad signed me up for school even though i hate it
My mum kept forcing me to join things, but I would only last a term usually (you paid for that much up front) because I am terrible at making friends so I was always too anxious to keep going.
When I was about 30, my mother snapped at me "You've never really grown up!" Wow, that really took a load off my shoulders.
I just went and voted in my state's Special Election today. I realized I hadn't gotten my mail-in ballot, so I had to go vote in person. I got in line and saw on the poster that you had to turn in your mail-in ballot in order to vote in person. But I didn't HAVE a ballot. I had no idea what to do. Stood there in line silently panicking. My brain whispered, "But I'm just a KID...." ....I'm 43 XD
Load More Replies...That usually comes with the realization that you already are what you're going to be when you grow up.
I recall when I came to that realization. Top 10 worst moment of my life 😂
I'm a teacher, so I often have to do things in front of the kids (like get rid of cockroaches etc) that I am too afraid to do if I'm on my own.
Because I was self-reliant, people in my sphere turned to me for direction and advice, but I rarely had that necessary adult/mentor who guided me through difficulties.
U.K. Therapy Guide suggests that how you receive compliments can be a good indicator of whether you use self-deprecating humour in a damaging or healthy way.
"If you’re quick to make fun of yourself, but when someone makes you a compliment and you feel uncomfortable accepting it, you may have self-esteem issues, and you should try to use self-deprecating humour less," notes the site. "Otherwise, those jokes can slowly affect your mental health, making you look at yourself from a negative perspective."
One could pronounce that "plough ice". Which needs to happen. With a real plough, not a sexual way.
Am I having a stroke? Oh, wait, Asian lettering on the side. Okay, I'm fine.
I do not like being tickled and can get quite angry if the tickler continues. Plus, I tend to react so quickly to being tickled that I've hurt people. I reflexively elbowed someone so hard they couldn't catch their breath. Failure to heed the warning can result in injury.
This is what the other person ends up looking like if they try to tickle me. Ask my family!
I'm picturing Stewart🤦🏻♀️ I'm asking for the MadTv box set for Xmas because I'm in my 50's and have seen Futurama 5 times.
To me, tough love is waiting up for them when they are past curfew, giving them a big hug, and then grounding them for a week without a phone.
Load More Replies...Intensive Care Bear Countdown, 5, 4, 3, 2, WHACK! XP XD
Another good gauge is to how others react to your self-deprecating jokes. The less laughter, the more likely you've veered onto the path of negative self-talk. It may be time to check yourself, cautions U.K Therapy Guide.
"If nobody laughs at your jokes and you get concerned looks and an awkward silence instead, you should take a note of that and reflect on why your joke made people uncomfortable," the site notes. "This also applies when friends tell you that your self-deprecating jokes have gone too far and that you should think better of yourself."
My mom had a new washing machine delivered yesterday. She was her usual caustic, a-hole, mean self to the delivery guys, who both kind of looked at me in round-eyed panic as my mother goes OFF on them for not wearing protective blue booties (they said they couldn't due to the slipping hazard/risk.) I followed the guys back to their truck and apologized on my mother's behalf (she is nasty to EVERYone, from retail employees to fast-food workers.) The younger guy laughed and said "It's okay, I like her attitude, she's funny, like George Lopez!" No, my dude. No, she is not funny XD She ACTUALLY believes the nasty things she's saying, she's NOT joking.
Load More Replies...There was an old lady at a prayer meeting I used to go to. She was very funny and kinda alone, so I would hang out by her sometimes. One time, the leader commented on how I was so nice to be kind to her "despite... you know..." "No, I don't!" "Well, ya know, how mean she can be." "OH! I just thought she was being funny!"
I can be funny, and I can be mean. But what I am most of the time is literal, which is usually misconstrued by the other person.
I thought my husband knew who he married until about 15 years ago while checking out at Sam's Club the cashier I rarely got in line but was very stiff and efficient asked the usual at that time "Do you want to donate $xx.xx to blah blah children's charity?" and I said No, I hate kids. She busted out laughing and my husband yelled "OMG Babe, what is wrong with you?" 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 I still laugh every time some place asks me to donate and my husband just shakes his head.
Oh I'm sure people know I'm not joking, but it's still funny.
I wish I could upvote this 10 more times. I have said the to people more than once.
When you wake up from a nightmare and realize the dream was still a better alternative...
Should've. This is the future Regan was selling down the river.
Load More Replies...We blame it on the year, and honestly, there's a lot of truth to that. But there's also a lot of blame down to simply getting older, as well. I could deal with 2025 much easier if I were 20 or 30 years younger.
My quality of life has improved this year. I hiked with friends, felt challenged to improve, and I got to make a difference in people's lives. I'm looking forward to this next year.
One nice aspect of not having family and friends is never, ever being included in a group chat. Isolation has its rewards.
Oh, I still want to see what's going on. I just don't want the dozens of notifications bothering me.
Load More Replies...We had different coping skills back then, as well as different problems. It's not a fair comparison
Same, I already doubt I'll survive this year, how would I ever survive adulthood
Load More Replies...EVERYONE was stressed out in high school, essentially the adults toss their kid in a dungeon and walk away.
Every part of life is stressful. It’s just different stress at different times.
It's because they forgot how awful they felt most of the time. I wouldn't go back to my time in school if you paid me. When I was a pup adults were always bleating "schooldays are the happiest days of your life". Thank goodness that turned out to be wrong. Edit: well it appears that the alleged grown ups are out in force and downvoting someone who doesn't deserve it. But thanks for proving my point
Load More Replies...This photo epitomizes my cooking abilities, with two kitchen fires under my belt. Everyone in my building owes me their deepest gratitude for restricting my efforts to the toaster and microwave and receiving Meals o Wheels.
Well, you can be glum about it or you can bone up on burglary skills. You decide.
"Broken" could be a dangerous response. There are jerks out there who look for broken people to prey upon.
I didn't pay to hear your opinion, thank you! I happen to like the nice warm glow of my "check engine" light.
I just want a car that runs just well enough to get me to work so I can just barely pay my bills.
I too, enjoy life on the edge... Well, not so much enjoy, as survive 🤷🏽♀️
Load More Replies...When I took our 14 yr old sedan in for an LOF i told them I know it needs a flex pipe and the Ebrake doesn't work. Our usual service guys and techs retired. Everything else is solid. and maintained. Came out with a quote of over $3k in repairs on a vehicle with a trade in value of maybe $1500. Engine is seeping. Yeah, if there isn't drips or a puddle under it after this many years I'm not fixing it. I told him "I'll have my husband call you" we didn't.
They also get mad when I tell them that I need to discuss extra work not in the quote with my husband first.
It's worse when they have to call me, the wife first! we both used to work in car dealerships but all our friends changed jobs or retired so we have new people to deal with.
Load More Replies...Someone said their child was 25 months old. You mean TWO?? Gawd I hate this.
Once they hit two or close to it, then they need to stop with the months.
Load More Replies...People claim the month tells you what developmental state their child is in...except they can still say one year eight months.
I wish parents would stick to years once their kids are past 12 months. Unless you are talking to a pediatrician, childcare specialist, or anyone else dealing with specific milestones in young children, no one else needs that precise of an answer.
I'm fine with it. A 1-year-old on their birthday is completely different after 6 months, and different again after 5 months. We used months until a couple of months before our daughter turned 2, when we just started saying "she's almost 2".
Load More Replies...Ok that would be hard to calculate bc it changes every second 😭
Load More Replies...The amount of people in these comments who are actually treating this meme - a joke - as an actual legitimate complaint is ridiculous. Unless you have some sort of condition or learning disability, it really isn't hard to figure out what someone means when they say "19 months". C'mon. You aren't *that* stupid.
If it's more than 12, they're one year. If it's more than 24, they're two years. People say "months" because the baby's development is much faster than a child's.
Ok but how hard is it to say "oh he just turned one back in August" or "she'll be 3 in December"
Load More Replies...Fantastic line read by Yul Brynner. Legendary.
Load More Replies...I will admit that my use of etcetera is most often in the second category.
I am a team player... At certain times of the day, and when I get what I want...
Time change, now it's 2 am. I've explained it to my cat but he doesn't seem to care.
Shhh....don't tell my cat. Instead of 5:30 am, she now wakes me up at 6:30 am, which is actually when I need to get up, lol!
Load More Replies...I recently got my first cat and I woke up to him on my chest this morning, it was the best feeling ever
Then I proceed to have an allergy attack because I've recently developed cat allergies 😓
PS - my cat literally just got off me at 4am and I'm having an allergy attack. No I don't want to get rid of my fur babies- I love them like they are my children and my allergies aren't their fault.
Load More Replies...Cats protect us against bad energies. Unless they ally with the bad energies. Or they give a sh*t about you. You can not be sure
True. However, it still *feels* annoying when there are only a handful of cars in the left land and one guy zooms past in the right lane as fast as he can, seemingly for the express purpose of getting in front of as many people as possible.
Load More Replies...its so hard to zipper merge when no one else knows how to do it. the amount of times i need to let 2 people in because the duche in front of me needed to be ahead is astounding.
I’d let them in. Is it really worth getting all worked up about?
This is exactly why there are traffic jams in these situations - there is always someone who wants to get in as late as possible after passing everyone else, causing everyone who has followed the rules to slow down to let them in. Zipper merges can and do prevent this from happening, but there are always going to be a-holes out there who think they are more important than everyone else.
My mind and inner personality would say the picture quote, but my d.u.m.b.a.s.s would still let them over 🤦♀️
That person is actually doing it right. It's called a 'zipper merge' and it's the correct way.
Military dad made his kid keep a buzz cut in high school the 70s. Saw him later as an adult with the most glorious mane of hair! FU, dad!
I had flowing locks of blond hair in high school; girls were jealous of it. I caused 2 problems. Girls didn't want to date someone with better hair than theirs and girls knew their parents would not like me because of my long hair.
Long male hair is *very* s*xy and feels so good gliding in certain areas....
There's a difference between having free time and not doing anything. Extroverts... GET THAT INTO YOUR SKULLS!!!
"Nothing" is a perfectly valid activity. When I say I'm doing nothing, that means I am doing something, which is nothing.
Load More Replies...yo yo yo 148 to the 3 to the 3 to the 6 to the 9, representing the ABQ, what up beyatch? leave it at the tone
I am always busy. It might look like I am just staring out the window, but I am reflecting. In the window. And now leave me to it.
Ay, third inning in progress. Can't wait for the great Oompa at mid-game recess. Juice box, anyone?
2 of my friends are really good chess players and they love playing against me because neither of them ever thought it was possible to be as bad at chess as I am. xD
"Let's play chess." Now that's a sentence I'd love to hear, but have never heard in my life. XD
sheriff bart- as you are my guest and i am your host, what do want to do first? waco kid- "s***w? play chess?"
Just when I was getting pretty good at being a child, they told me I had to grow up. (Fortunately, being a child, I knew how to respond to that piece of nonsense.)
As soon as I get good at anything, somebody makes me stop doing that and start doing something else. I can never be allowed to have a few years to enjoy being good at something.
Load More Replies...Me: The mind of a dozy toddler that thinks it's a teenager in the body of some random old git.
When the shampoo says "Rinse and repeat", and I'm stuck in the shower forever.
Hair Care instructions were written by people who failed Comp Sci 101.
Load More Replies...That is so true. When I was living in my truck, there were times when I was more solvent because I didn't have rent to pay. It's a toss up, I tell you!
Load More Replies...That why begging is annoying. The last thing I want to do is explain my horribly financial situation to a stranger with severe life issues.
Many years ago, wandering around the city as broke àss 20-somethings, my friend was approached for money and his response was "I'm sorry, I can't help you, if I give you this $5 I AM you!" It was funny at the time...
Ah yes, mom borrowed uncle 30 000, saying he'd be paying back. It's been almost a year and we haven't seen a single penny out of that.
Never lend money to friends and family you're not willing to write off entirely. In fact, just don't lend money at all unless you're just outright willing to give it away - you'll save a lot of heartache and relationships that way.
Have had this experience with relatives... Friends I've loaned small amounts have loyally paid me back.
Then when you go through the forgot your password process, your new password cannot be the same as the old password.
And it can't be one of your last 6 passwords and must contain a number ending in 9 as well as a special character and must contain a combination of a minimum of 8 letters/numbers/characters.
Load More Replies...I’m sending this comment on November 4, 2025, Matthew McConaughey’s 56th birthday!
Mmkay, what is a password safe? I have a notebook I write passwords in.
Load More Replies...Somehow at first I thought it was a huge spider and when I realized it was a facehugger I calmed down. XD
(font="David Attenborough") And here we see the Large-Bålled Scorpantula Snake in its natural habitat." (/font)
I don't mind when they do this, but when they do it then go flying past you at 100mph is what scares me (cars do this too, not just bikes). Someone in our neighborhood also owns a muscle car and likes to rev his engines super loud at like 2am, that bugs me as it doesn't seem necessary.
Pft. Motorcycle - my yard backs up to a highway - Semis engine breaking.
Had a guy quit a job because he was late to pick up his mom when she got off work, and blamed me. Ironically, he set his OWN schedule but got mad that I didn't know when she got off work when it was contractually none of my business to know his personal life.
I tried this many years ago. Mom simply said "if you don't go to work, you'll have to put up with what the French call tea and the UHT milk that I buy". That was about the scariest thing imaginable - bad tea made even worse by awful milk. 😭
Ever since I was 6 my dad would tell me that my crying would help the water crisis in my country. Now he just tells me that my crying annoys him and that it’s disgusting
My father used to tell me that if I didn't stop crying he'd give me a real reason to cry.
Load More Replies...My grandma is an interesting person. Gets angry if I don't take a second serving, then comments on my weight.
Would it be an option to take very small portions? than you can have more than one without being stuffed
Load More Replies...With sorrow, when you decline a third serving: What's wrong? You didn't like it?
My wife doesn't cook, so it seems unlikely she'll be that type once our daughter has children.
"Why haven't you eaten your third basket of Chick-fil-A"?
Load More Replies...My daughters were very different. One would say 'Not much', one would say 'Oh, the usual stuff', and the chatty one would take me through the entire day in real time.
My sister was the "not much" type, while I wanted to talk about each class in real time 😄
Load More Replies..."Baking" and "getting baked" .... My daughter uses those expresions. Are those euphemisms for something?
Load More Replies...I had a dream that a bunch of stationaries and an illuminati triangle were trying to k**l each other. Someone enlighten me on what the meaning could possibly be.
Moving out at 18 to live alone is a pipe dream... Group housing situation with 11 others where you have to share a bedroom and the rest of the house. Better to stay home until you're 25 and save up money... So you can live with only 3 roommates. I rented (from 24yplo) until I was 36 and then put a deposit on a small house. Mortgage finally paid off 20 years later...
I wish I had paid extra on my mortgage when I first bought my house. It would be paid off by now.
Load More Replies...Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange) Ch-ch-changes Don't want to be a richer man Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and face the strange) Ch-ch-changes Just gonna have to be a different man Time may change me But I can′t trace time
.....i love these moments when favorite song lyrics fit the narrative..............home run reemerger !..........
Load More Replies...I got an ultimatum yesterday that either I become our house maid and stay at home or get kicked out once I finish 11th grade because I’ve essentially failed every single test I’ve attempted this year. The sooner I can kms the better lol
Big hugs Stardust dear. They're probably just trying to scare you into studying harder (regardless of how hard you are actually studying. Sometimes parents are not very bright)
Load More Replies...HA HA HA HA !!!!! My daughter at 26. I quote: "Mom, if I gave you my paycheck, can I move back in?" Me: You change my computer settings. You drink all my beer and DON'T put any back in the 'fridge. You put your big smelly feet up on my new couch. NO!!!!!
Trust me, going to the right is just fine if you find a place you like. Our a/c condenser went out and they had to replace the entire unit and furnace. My mom had to do hers 6 months earlier and it was over $6k. She knew it was coming but now she needs a new roof.
What child leaves home at 18, my eldest at 28 is still at home, one of my daughters is renting and one has almost paid off her house, she's 25, my youngest at 15 has told me she will never be moving out and that is fine by me
unfortunately all of mine have upper body strength
Load More Replies...Not really a coping mechanism, just a gentle reminder that you're not alone...
Not really a coping mechanism, just a gentle reminder that you're not alone...
