Self-deprecation

And I will have that one too

this one in fact

Galen and a virtual Easter Egg.

That sounds like a good idea Galen. I sometimes resort to throwing an old plate into the sink!

Glad to hear you are feeling better this morning.

Gary has just set up my target for me in the garden.
In future when I'm feeling frustrated, I'll go and shoot some arrows!

Galen we can demonstrate our value to this country when they start wanting the grey vote and discover all of a sudden that we have saved the country a fortune in childminding, educating, accommodating and funding our children and grandchildren. Ignore the criticism - it's misguided. I'm glad you're feeling a bit chirpier today

DebnCreme, you missed something - , ,

I am so pleased to read you are feeling much brighter this morning, Galen. Take care.

No point telling darling daughter, she'd be most unsympathetic.
Was just having a very bad day, both with pain and feeling sorry for myself. It happens sometimes.
Usually in the past I'd just sit and cry, but since you lot are here I might as well moan at you!
Seriously though, it does help to have someone to moan to occasionally.
Thanks for being concerned. I'm much better today.

The news when everyone does seem to be blaming our generation for everything and saying what a drain we are on the NHS, pensions, housing and anything else you can think of (probably depleting the oxygen levels as well by breathing) does not help does it?

Galen, you usually come over as a loving mum and gran, a brave, humorous and supportive woman - and note I didn't say 'elderly woman'. Who is the real Galen? The one we have known and loved for several years now or the one in this morning's post?

Hopefully your comments were said mainly in jest and tongue in cheek*Galen*. 1. We all love you too much, 2. You are NOT an old lady. If you are even a teensy bit serious please do as jingl suggests

Galen I think you should tell your daughter you are feeling like that.

Galen, your comments about ageing remind me of my dad. He told us there's nothing to recommend old age, except the alternative. I am aware of becoming increasingly invisible, as most older women do. Don't jump of a cliff - we'd miss you too much

As a Scot I was brought up to the tune of "I kent his faither" which is uttered as a mantra to take a person back to their (modest)roots and puncture any whisper of self aggrandisement. As a Scot, a woman and also of a certain age, I have no illusions about knowing anything, achieving anything or being "anybody". Oh for a little bit of self-importance in my genetic mix!

Galen I hope you feel better this morning. You are good at being brave and positive in the face of many difficulties.

Not a whole generation deeda just part of it. There are still many kids growing up convinced they are a waste of space. Or only worth something as long as they look pretty.

As an elderly woman, I'm afraid to say that I'm no good at anything!
I'm obviously a nonproductive member of modern society and a drain on resources that are being provided for by the modern generation!
Do you think I should just take an overdose of painkillers?
Or throw myself off a cliff? ( prefer the former as I'm frightened by heights)
Feeling like doing option no 1 at present!

Reading this article I was reminded of the last series of Outnumbered when Karen was hauled up before the Headmistress who said "Well of course at primary school they give you gold stars for breathing" It summed it all up really.

The talking oneself up thing always comes over very strongly in The Apprentice. The more self confident they are the more they come unstuck when they actually have to do some of the things they claim to be brilliant at. There seems to be a whole generation growing up that believes that really wanting to do something is the same as having some talent for it and actually learning to do it.

At the other extreme you have people like my late MiL whose attitude was always "being me I'm bound to be wrong" which was just as annoying!

I very much doubt that the journalist who wrote the article goes around putting herself down and lurking in the shade or she would have no work as a journalist.
I agree with grannyactivist - balance is a good thing. There is a cultural norm in the US that you should say you are wonderful. The cultural norm in the UK is that you should be modest and at times put yourself down. The worst culprits when it comes to putting themselves down are, I am afraid, middle aged women. There are also large numbers of young people who do not have many feelings of self worth. Not everyone has adoring parents constantly boost their ego.
Start counting the number of times you hear a middle aged woman say "I'm very good at..."

I once interviewed a young graduate who claimed on her form that her outside interests included archaeology and she had worked on an archaeological excavation.

Unfortunately (for her), my main outside interest is archaeology so when the interview started, to relax her and build up a rapport I started to ask her a few questions about her interest in archaeology, but stopped quickly when I realised she actually knew very little about the subject.

She was the best candidate for the job and got it, but we did discuss the matter later, it was before Time Team, she had done a couple of days on a dig while at school and enjoyed TV programmes about the past, but as she admitted she had written it all up because she thought it would look good on her form. She never expected to be interviewed by someone who actually knew something about the subject. She said she had learned a lesson and would never again put anything on a cv that she could not substantiate.

It is interesting to think about how children develop a sense that they are not the centre of the universe and that others might be better at things than they are. My 2.5 year old GS is adorable - ebullient , full of life and affectionate - but when he enters a room he bounds in and throws his arms wide and says "I'm here!" with such a sense of - well everything's fine now I'm here! It is very endearing. Part of me does not want him to lose that.

I cannot bear that sort of US-style talking oneself up - I find it utterly nauseating. It is so self-indulgent. For me it goes hand in hand with some of the more sickly self-help books and talks.

When I used to interview candidates for jobs, I always favoured those who had a very clear idea of their strengths and weaknesses and were able to discuss their training and development needs, as well as those things where they could start in straight away with confidence.

As several people said

A little self-deprecation is, I think, healthy and endearing. There is nothing so annoying as someone who is always blowing his/her own trumpet.

But if a person continually puts himself/herself down, they are either being overly modest for fear of alienating other people or they genuinely feel inadequate - neither of which is desirable.

As Galen said, there is a happy medium.

...and I am sure that on his CV he said he was responsible for managing the catering department for a company with 50,000 employees! It is just DH responsibilities didn't include catering.

Surely the tea boy was part of the management substructure?