Become English (4) Follow the self-deprecation rule

Initially I don't understand why English people could stand others to point fingers at their prime minister. But later on I sense the deep pride of English that they don't really care because they just follow a rule called self-deprecation.

Not that the English are somehow naturally more modest and self-effacing than other nations but that they have strict rules about the appearance of modest. So I create a scene and show you how to become English.

Suppose that I am a brain surgeon. When I meet a new friend, normally after weather chat I will be asked what had led me to choose this profession. ‘well um, I read PPE, philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford –let me pretend- but I found it all rather beyond me, so, er, I thought I’d better do something a bit less difficult.’ you laughed, but then, as I must have expected, protested that surely brain surgery could not really be described as an easy option. This gave me a further opportunity as for self-deprecation. ‘oh no, it’s nowhere near as clever as its cracked up to be; to be honest it’s actually a bit hit-or-miss. Its just plumbing, really plumbing with, with a microscope-excpet plumbing’s rather more accurate.”

I was simply playing by the rules, dealing with the embarrassment of success and prestige by making a self-denigrating joke out of it all, as is English custom. And this is the point, an approach to becoming English, I see English people do this automatically all the time and so do I.