"Don't take yourself so seriously"

Posted by R. Berg on December 01, 2002

In Reply to: Meaning of the phrase "Don't take yourself so seriously" posted by Bob on December 01, 2002

: : I would greatly appreciate it if someone can explain the exact meaning of the phrase "Don't take yourself so seriously"

: : Thanks
: It's advice, usually unsolicited, from person A to person B, when A believes that B has become so self-involved and wrapped up in petty personal problems that B has lost perspective. B can either regard this as helpful counsel, or, more often, as meddling. Nevertheless, it is usually wise to keep a wider perspective: whatever your personal concerns, there are at least a billion people in China who don't care.

It can also be used to take someone down a peg (now, there's another phrase for you) who has intellectual pretensions--or who has genuine intellectual depth that isn't appreciated by the speaker. It might be addressed to an adolescent who fancies himself a philosopher, for instance.