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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Humble bragging

290 replies

Feckingfeck · 03/05/2022 10:45

I have only come across this term on MN but i think I wintessed it first hand... whats it all about?

Family in lemur enclosure at zoo talking to keeper.

Keeper "you can get a little closer if you want"

Woman "we don't need too thanks we honey mooned in Madagascar so we have seen so many lemurs up close"

Keeper "oh okay, bet that was great"

Woman "it was amaaaazing... we could hear them all around our cabin at night aaaaahahahahhaha" (not sure why this was funny- but apparently it was hilarious)

Don't get me wrong I wasn't jealous in the slightest... nothing i would be creeped out by more than animals at night...

It just felt like one up man ship at its finest. I mean why go in there if you only want to belittle the experience Confused

Whats the worst humble brag you have witnessed?

OP posts:
eastegg · 04/05/2022 13:44

Cross post!

ZenNudist · 04/05/2022 13:49

I love a humble brag!

Perfumelover18 · 04/05/2022 13:54

Someone once told me, "It's awful having such a big house. You are so lucky not to have all those windows to clean."

I was tempted to ask her if her mortgage was so high that she couldn't afford a window cleaner.

Octomore · 04/05/2022 15:45

Perfumelover18 · 04/05/2022 13:54

Someone once told me, "It's awful having such a big house. You are so lucky not to have all those windows to clean."

I was tempted to ask her if her mortgage was so high that she couldn't afford a window cleaner.

I would assume she meant the inside of the windows tbh

abbey44 · 04/05/2022 15:55

Iknowthisdickhead · 03/05/2022 13:06

This is a definite humble brag. Most of the others on this thread are just outright brags.

I know a woman IRL who is a successful interiors blogger. Lives in a beautiful thatched cottage and has about 100K followers. She is QUEEN of the humble brag and does it all the time on her posts as well as in real life. It’s all “oh what a silly billy I am, I forgot how temperamental the aga is and it went out while we were on our wholesome family walk so we had to go to the local gastro pub. Good job they’ve got such a lovely roaring fire although nothing compares to a glass of wine in front of our 300 year old fireplace after a cracking Sunday lunch. Can’t win ‘em all, teehee” (subtext: did you notice that I live in a beautiful old house and have an aga and stunning period features? And that we do glorious family activities and can afford to bin a whole Sunday lunch and go to the idyllic pub that we are soooo lucky to live close to and blah blah blah” she is hunks she’s doing self deprecation but she’s stealthily doing the exact opposite.

I'm just wondering whether this is the Instagrammer with a yellow utility room...? She makes me laugh (for all the wrong reasons) Grin

Octomore · 04/05/2022 16:08

Woman 2 "no, he decided on a Porsche in the end. Totally unpractical, can't use it as a family car so I've got a new Focus for ferrying the kids around. Bit chavvy but it was cheap enough"

I balked at the "cheap", not jealousy just a slap of reality about those who have and those who don't!*

It's not the word 'cheap' which is tone-deaf and classless in that sentence - it's the word 'chavvy'. Ugh. It tells you everything about the person saying it, and makes clear that they are not someone you need be envious of.

Gagaandgag · 04/05/2022 16:17

I did yes I replied to apologise! 🤣 😊

Iknowthisdickhead · 04/05/2022 16:24

abbey44 · 04/05/2022 15:55

I'm just wondering whether this is the Instagrammer with a yellow utility room...? She makes me laugh (for all the wrong reasons) Grin

I don’t think so. She would have anything so nouveau riche as a utility room. It isn’t in keeping with the house which has been very sympathetically restored and decorated. It is beautifully done, I’ll give her that and it’s a beautiful cottage but she is just a bit of a fanny and her “oh, silly little me, I’ve got nothing better to do but obsess about whether the roses are blooming yet, oh goodness, the children do make rather a lot of noise but they are so very intelligent” schtick pisses me off. Her husband paid for everything (although she probably earns a lot via Instagram now), her kids are entitled, rude brats and she isn’t the nice, slightly dreamy ditsy person she tries to market herself as. She’s a gold digging social
climber who married well and she looks down on anyone with less money than her and says unkind things about them. As I am about her to be fair but at least this is anonymous.

Iknowthisdickhead · 04/05/2022 16:26

Perfumelover18 · 04/05/2022 13:54

Someone once told me, "It's awful having such a big house. You are so lucky not to have all those windows to clean."

I was tempted to ask her if her mortgage was so high that she couldn't afford a window cleaner.

Thoughts and prayers for the poor dear.

Gagaandgag · 04/05/2022 16:36

Iknowthisdickhead · 04/05/2022 16:26

Thoughts and prayers for the poor dear.

”Thoughts and prayers” 🤣🤣

123ROLO · 04/05/2022 17:01

I'm on a fairfax and favour group.

It has the most cringey humble bragging ever, I should have left ages ago but I find it quite funny, I don't understand how these people don't realise how obnoxious they look.

"It's a turquoise bag kind of day, off for the school run" - picture of the bag, but also sure to get the Louis viotton bag in and the wheel of a top spec range rover or something in too.

"Husband complained I'm getting too many shoes, but I just said your hobby is owning multiple sports cars and mine is shoes, that's fair right?"

"Just bought a shoe haul (shoes a basket of £1000), let's hope hubby doesn't check his bank statements"

"Hey guys any advice on storage, my cupboards looking a bit full" - includes a picture of a storage cupboard filled with about £7000 of shoe boxs and bags"

"My husband went a little bit ott for my birthday this year I think, not even sure ive got any space left, ill have to start taking over his dressing room" - picture of a ferrari type car with a bow on it and about 10 shoe box's/ hand bags.

"Hey guys, looking for advice. What type of flat shoe would you wear on a private yacht?"

"What a stressful day, first I can't find my purse then the flight is delayed, at least I'm here now (stressed face emoji) - includes picture of first glass lounge, the shoes in shot, a gucci bag on the corner of the table, and a glass of champagne"

These were paraphrased, but almost spot on.

3luckystars · 04/05/2022 19:08

Hey guys, looking for advice. What type of flat shoe would you wear on a private yacht?"

😂😂😂

MyJobisNotOuting · 04/05/2022 20:36

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

SirGawain · 04/05/2022 20:54

Onlyforcake · 03/05/2022 15:28

It's not bragging to co plain about harassment from men. It's not ever bragging because no-one wants to be harassed. Grim.

I think you're missing the point. The bragger is making sure that you know she is very attractive by saying she is harassed by unwanted men. That is the stealth boast!

chatterbug22 · 04/05/2022 21:00

Haha humble bragging is an odd term isn’t it!

abbey44 · 04/05/2022 21:23

@iknowthisdickhead - ah, thanks - it's not who I was thinking of then, but now my curiosity has been piqued...!

mnnewbie111 · 04/05/2022 21:54

Bornsloppy · 03/05/2022 13:18

"yes little Tabitha isn't walking yet but she's so advanced in her speech"
Tabitha is usually staring vacantly at a wall of licking a plug socket.

You know what, I actually do this one but I promise you it's more the other way around. So people used to say my son spoke well (ooh managed to get the old brag in there too 😉) and I'm one of those who can't stand looking like a bragger so have to get in there that he's pretty shit at walking tho haha

Feckingfeck · 04/05/2022 21:56

@newnamenellie

Thats kind of slagging yourself off a bit to not brag ....

Could be being humble but I think I prefer the term humble slag 😂

OP posts:
Feckingfeck · 04/05/2022 21:57

Feckingfeck · 04/05/2022 21:56

@newnamenellie

Thats kind of slagging yourself off a bit to not brag ....

Could be being humble but I think I prefer the term humble slag 😂

Sorry @mnnewbie111 Meant to tag you 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:
Alcibiade · 04/05/2022 22:16

Daddydog · 03/05/2022 15:00

Happened yesterday, was out for dinner in a nice restaurant when a couple on a date sat near our table. At the end of the meal the man announced for half the restaurant to hear...

"Is it alright if I pay in cash?"

Silly man - doesn't he know everyone is this part of town only pays with magic beans and cows?

I don't get this - is it showing off to pay with cash after a meal?

Bleachmycloths · 04/05/2022 22:16

3luckystars · 04/05/2022 03:45

The selfie with the sausage roll is my favourite.

Yes, this beggars belief. But what an absolutely horrible thing to do.

TeddybearBaby · 04/05/2022 22:29

I remember someone putting on Facebook that they were fuming that their son had been identified as talented and gifted by the school……. I’m so angry at the way kids get labelled 🤣

Octomore · 04/05/2022 22:32

I think you're missing the point. The bragger is making sure that you know she is very attractive by saying she is harassed by unwanted men. That is the stealth boast!

Men aren't choosy or selective about who they harass though. All it indicates is that she is visibly female, nothing more. It's not a boast of any kind.

Octomore · 04/05/2022 22:37

123ROLO · 04/05/2022 17:01

I'm on a fairfax and favour group.

It has the most cringey humble bragging ever, I should have left ages ago but I find it quite funny, I don't understand how these people don't realise how obnoxious they look.

"It's a turquoise bag kind of day, off for the school run" - picture of the bag, but also sure to get the Louis viotton bag in and the wheel of a top spec range rover or something in too.

"Husband complained I'm getting too many shoes, but I just said your hobby is owning multiple sports cars and mine is shoes, that's fair right?"

"Just bought a shoe haul (shoes a basket of £1000), let's hope hubby doesn't check his bank statements"

"Hey guys any advice on storage, my cupboards looking a bit full" - includes a picture of a storage cupboard filled with about £7000 of shoe boxs and bags"

"My husband went a little bit ott for my birthday this year I think, not even sure ive got any space left, ill have to start taking over his dressing room" - picture of a ferrari type car with a bow on it and about 10 shoe box's/ hand bags.

"Hey guys, looking for advice. What type of flat shoe would you wear on a private yacht?"

"What a stressful day, first I can't find my purse then the flight is delayed, at least I'm here now (stressed face emoji) - includes picture of first glass lounge, the shoes in shot, a gucci bag on the corner of the table, and a glass of champagne"

These were paraphrased, but almost spot on.

I'm intrigued to know what exactly you expected to find in a Fairfax and Favour group? 😂 I doubt there are any members at all who aren't status obsessed braggarts.

Hmm1234 · 04/05/2022 22:52

That is not humble bragging and you sound bitter. Maybe she found the lemurs noises hilarious and the zoo keeper gets it- being an animal person. You taking offence to this is hmmmmm