Being self-aware doesn’t immediately make you funny and it is rarely positive to be only self-aware.

The ability for something to understand that it is conscious is called sentience. So far, we are the only sentient creatures on this planet. That makes us special. It means we can grasp our own thoughts and actions and comment on them.

We comment on ourselves constantly, whether to ourselves or others. However, that doesn’t mean everything is said out loud. For example, I am constantly judging myself based on my actions or thoughts and only a very small portion of that actually comes out of my mouth. The rest is locked away or completely forgotten about.

This is important when understanding why we are self-aware. Usually when someone is self-aware they’re looking for a laugh. Self-deprecation is an easy tool most people can relate to. This is because most people have probably thought similar things.

That means when someone laughs at a self-deprecating joke they are more likely laughing at themselves than the joke teller. That is where the problem lies. When someone or something is constantly referencing themselves, it gets old really quick.

There are only so many things someone can say about themselves before it stops sounding self-aware and starts to sound like a therapy session. Finding the proper balance between depressing and relatable humor is key.

Self-perception is a very old and well-studied concept of psychology. Self-esteem is often a touchy subject for young men. One’s personal image has a huge impact on their social interactions.

Being able to understand who you are and why you do the things you do is one of the most important skills someone can have. How we see ourselves can also vary greatly throughout our lives.

Paul Kwon, a WSU psychology professor, had valuable insight into this.

Our own self-perception can shift drastically. People act more according to themselves and feel more like themselves when standing in front of a mirror, Kwon said. Individuals can also act less like themselves in the case of mob mentality where they do things they would’ve never done alone, he said.

The idea of mob mentality is far too common in America. Riots and chaos are created when people get together because they become de-individualized. They are no longer their own independent person and will instead follow the will of the group. This can easily lead to disaster if even a small group of people decide to do something dangerous.

On a more personal level, self-perception is often used as a coping mechanism wherein someone can at least express their distaste of their worst habits.

The problem comes when that person does nothing to improve their situation and instead just judges themselves more and more. This is an important reason why depression is so prevalent.

Self-awareness has great value, but only if you use it properly. I think judging oneself without trying to improve is worse than just doing something harmful. We are our worst critics, so it doesn’t help if that critic is always on our backs.