# Can you really be 'humbled' by winning an award? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 28, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070 "2010-05-28T14:29:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/1 "2010-05-28T14:29:41Z")
This is something that has always bothered me, but maybe I’m just missing something. I usually see this phenomenon at award shows like the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and such. The winner gets on stage, and before going into the ‘Thank Yous’, talks about how humbling it all is - to be nominated with such a great group of peers and to win the award. It’s just never made any sense to me. The biggest offender I’ve seen is Garth Brooks (who is also, imho, the biggest phony in show-business). I’ve seen clips of him at shows staring out at his thousands of cheering fans and saying how humbling it is. Am I missing something, or would it _actually_ be humbling to look at and expect to see thousands of fans and only see 50. Or to \*not \*be nominated to win an award? The obvious answer (to me) is that it is just a way to fake humility, which is what the majority of us fans want from our superstars - a ‘regular joe’ quality instead of a smug jerk. But why does this particular tactic work? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/2 "2010-05-28T14:35:02Z")
**hum·ble** _adj._ **hum·bler** , **hum·blest** \*\*1. \*\*Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful. \*\*2. \*\*Showing deferential or submissive respect: _a humble apology._ \*\*3. \*\*Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: _a humble cottage._ I think the second definition above fits. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/3 "2010-05-28T14:45:58Z")
I’ve found that with certain attributes, if someone is saying it about another person it tends to be true, but if someone is saying about themselves it’s usually B.S. “That Bob Smith is so humble.” -probably true Bob Smith: “I am so humble.” -yeah, whatever. Bill Jones: “I am a perfectionist.” -:rolleyes: “That Bill Jones sure is a perfectionist.” -probably true ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/4 "2010-05-28T15:18:33Z")
[quote=“John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear, post:2, topic:541070”] Interesting that the example they used is in the form of an apology - which narrows the scope of the defiinition. I can’t think of another common use of humility that doesn’t involve some sense of wrong-doing or shame. Unless, of course, it is my OP. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/5 "2010-05-28T15:26:14Z")
I can be humbled when receiving an award when I have the utmost respect for the people giving the award. If people I hold in high esteem choose to honor me, I can feel not worthy of such an honor. In other words, not worthy to placed on such a level and these people. Imagine someone who has incredible respect for Jimmy Stewart (or some other actor) and gets award from the same group that honored him- that actor may not feel worthy of that level respect, emotionally, even when intellectually accepting that they do deserve the honor. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/6 "2010-05-28T15:34:03Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I can be humbled when receiving an award when I have the utmost respect for the people giving the award. Or if you’re humbled to even be mentioned in the same breath as your fellow nominees, which is the common awards show formulation. I agree that “I am humbled and honored” is usually meaningless bullcrap. But it’s not impossible. You _can_ be proud to win an award but humbled to realize that a lot of people, or some people you really respect, are paying attention to what you do. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/7 "2010-05-28T15:36:24Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I can be humbled when receiving an award when I have the utmost respect for the people giving the award. If people I hold in high esteem choose to honor me, I can feel not worthy of such an honor. In other words, not worthy to placed on such a level and these people. > > Imagine someone who has incredible respect for Jimmy Stewart (or some other actor) and gets award from the same group that honored him- that actor may not feel worthy of that level respect, emotionally, even when intellectually accepting that they do deserve the honor. Yup. It’s an acknowledgement that you may not be worthy of the honour. Perhaps “humbled” isn’t the best term, but it is the one that gets used for this. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/8 "2010-05-28T16:33:21Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I’ve found that with certain attributes, if someone is saying it about another person it tends to be true, but if someone is saying about themselves it’s usually B.S. > “That Bob Smith is so humble.” -probably true > Bob Smith: “I am so humble.” -yeah, whatever. > > Bill Jones: “I am a perfectionist.” -:rolleyes: > “That Bill Jones sure is a perfectionist.” -probably true I’ve always found it hard to go with the crowd. I’m just kind of a rebel, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/9 "2010-05-28T16:42:58Z")
Sure you can be. Some people may be total egotists but others, even famous ones, often feel they are phonies even when successful. You may see a finished product, but a writer sees a blank screen, and during filming of a movie it is hard to tell if it is going to be a classic or a total bomb - most participants have been in both. You also might be competing with people you respected coming up, or who you think are fresher than you. Listen to Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul” where Neil Young starts by wondering how the thought he had in his head became the event of the season. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/10 "2010-05-28T16:49:16Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’ve always found it hard to go with the crowd. I’m just kind of a rebel, you know. That John Mace is such a rebel. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/11 "2010-05-28T16:51:27Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > That John Mace is such a rebel. It’s probably a character flaw, but that’s just me! ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/12 "2010-05-28T17:17:54Z")
I guess I’m just not wired that way. I’d be on the podium thinking “That’s right, I’m better than ALL you bitches!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/13 "2010-05-28T18:07:21Z")
I’ve felt incredibly humbled before when people praised me. It can be an overwhelming feeling that you are nothing important yet are being hoisted up to stand in the limelight. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/14 "2010-05-28T18:36:30Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I’ve felt incredibly humbled before when people praised me. It can be an overwhelming feeling that you are nothing important yet are being hoisted up to stand in the limelight. Then let me ask, do you feel this is the same type of humility you have felt at some point in your life when you got ‘knocked down a peg’? Or are they different feelings altogether? I mean, I can understand the feeling you get when you feel like you don’t really deserve the praise being foist upon you - I’ve just never thought of that feeling as humility because to me it’s so much different than the feeling I get when I realize I’m not as good at something than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/15 "2010-05-28T18:44:53Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I’ve felt incredibly humbled before when people praised me. It can be an overwhelming feeling that you are nothing important yet are being hoisted up to stand in the limelight. I’ve never had that feeling. Because no-one has ever praised me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/16 "2010-05-28T18:54:56Z")
**Malthus** , that was, without a doubt, the best post I have ever seen in my 10 years on the sdmb. You have set the bar for us all. Congratulations. ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/17 "2010-05-28T19:20:02Z")
(now, tell us how you feel) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/18 "2010-05-28T19:24:59Z")
> [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > (now, tell us how you feel) 😛 Proud as punch, actually. 😉 I’d say I was “humbled”, but I fear the internet equivalent of a tar-and-feathering. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/19 "2010-05-28T19:35:01Z")
> [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > Then let me ask, do you feel this is the same type of humility you have felt at some point in your life when you got ‘knocked down a peg’? Or are they different feelings altogether? I mean, I can understand the feeling you get when you feel like you don’t really deserve the praise being foist upon you - I’ve just never thought of that feeling as humility because to me it’s so much different than the feeling I get when I realize I’m not as good at something than I thought. It’s not the same, but there are similarities. I’m sitting here trying to kinda dredge up that feeling and it’s hard to do. It’s more of an overwhelmed feeling. “This person is giving me this enormous gift that I’m not just unworthy of, but that I can’t begin to measure for its generosity of spirit.” The humble feeling is created by the enormous contrast, just as being humbled by, say, a math problem is created by the contrast between what you thought you could do and what you actually can. I have no idea if this is making a lick of sense. ETA: Maybe it’s just an “I am small. This is big” feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070/20 "2010-05-28T20:56:38Z")
> [@Pashnish Ewing](#): > > Then let me ask, do you feel this is the same type of humility you have felt at some point in your life when you got ‘knocked down a peg’? Or are they different feelings altogether? I mean, I can understand the feeling you get when you feel like you don’t really deserve the praise being foist upon you - I’ve just never thought of that feeling as humility because to me it’s so much different than the feeling I get when I realize I’m not as good at something than I thought. Oh yeah, in fact the praise-humility can be **more** devastating than the criticism-humility. Because you can feel even **more** aware of and embarrassed by the shortcomings of your work when somebody’s generously praising it than when somebody’s picking holes in it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-really-be-humbled-by-winning-an-award/541070.md?page=2)