History Main / ChronicSelfDeprecation

Contrast with SelfDeprecation, the healthier variant of this trope that's limited to cracking a joke or two [[note]]though it can overlap with this trope if [[SadClown it's done all the time by someone]][[/note]], ItsAllAboutMe, its exact polar opposite, and InferioritySuperiorityComplex, where arrogant behavior is used as a mask for the self-loathing described here. Contrast NegativesAsAPositive.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Downplayed with Amethyst. While she rarely angsts on-camera and plays up her WildChild side, a few glimpses BeneathTheMask confirm that she's taken [[ThePerfectionist Pearl]] and [[TheStoic Garnet]]'s disapproval of her BoisterousBruiser tendencies to heart. As the show reveals that she was "[[BetaTestBaddie defective]]" and didn't receive the standard [[BornAsAnAdult programming]] other Gems received, she ''would'' be considered a failure by her species' standards. Only after CharacterDevelopment does it become clear that a lot of her "jokes" at her own expense [[JustJokingJustification weren't jokes at all]].

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Downplayed with Amethyst. While she rarely angsts on-camera and plays up her WildChild side, a few glimpses BeneathTheMask confirm that she's taken [[ThePerfectionist Pearl]] and [[TheStoic Garnet]]'s disapproval of her BoisterousBruiser tendencies to heart. As the show reveals that she was "[[BetaTestBaddie defective]]" and didn't receive the standard [[BornAsAnAdult programing]] other Gems received, she ''would'' be considered a failure by her species' standards. Only after CharacterDevelopment does it become clear that a lot of her "jokes" at her own expense [[JustJokingJustification weren't jokes at all]].

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[[caption-width-right:350:Of all the self-deprecating people in the world, he's the Charlie Browniest.]]

* Sawako from ''Manga/KimiNiTodoke''. On a scale of 100, she probably has a self-esteem in the single digits.
* Karin Karino in ''Manga/KareKano'' has low self-esteem at first, though she grows past this by the end of the manga.

* In the later seasons of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Meg fell into this trope more often than not. Given her status as extreme ButtMonkey on the show, this isn't surprising.

As they say, humility is a virtue and {{Pride}} goes before a fall, but this character might've [[ALessonLearnedTooWell taken those sayings a bit too close to heart.]] Whether due to [[ThePerfectionist excessively high standards,]] [[BulliedIntoDepression constant harassment and denigrations from others]], [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone overwhelming guilt]], or simple InternalizedCategorism, the character has a very low opinion of themselves, often to the point of unreasonable self-hatred.

Contrast with SelfDeprecation, the healthier variant of this trope that's limited to cracking a joke or two [[note]]though it can overlap with this trope if [[SadClown it's done all the time by someone]][[/note]], ItsAllAboutMe, its exact polar opposite, and InferioritySuperiorityComplex, where arrogant behavior is used as a mask for the self-loathing described here.

** She does it again briefly in [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Ww9toFrz8 "the basement"]]: after Lithop assures Daisy that she can help her and [[spoiler:the other monsters, because she's the doctor's daughter,]] Daisy [[TearJerker tearfully]] responds with "Lithop, no, I can't help you, I can't even take care of myself!"\* ''WebAnimation/{{Hololive}}'': [[DontFearTheReaper Calliope Mori]], even after hitting the top charts in the hip-hop genre, is famously known for putting herself down, despite the praise of her friends and fans. She's even touched on the topic in some of her songs.

* George Bailey from ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' suffers this. Despite repeatedly sacrificing his own desires to help others, and doing enormous amounts of good in his hometown, he feels worthless because he's never done anything 'big'.

* Due to being neglected by his grieving father, Shinji of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' view himself as a coward unworthy of the affection of anyone. Piloting his EVA to fight the angels didn't help his self-esteem, as evidenced by this statement he made to Miyabi in ''Anime/EndOfEvangelion'':
->I don't have a kind, gentle side...I'm just a weak-hearted, wicked boy. I can only hurt other people! So it's better that I don't do anything!

* The eponymous Tanaka from ''Manga/TanakaKunIsAlwaysListless'' knows he's too [[LazyBum listless]] for his own good, and sees himself as useless and worthless as a person because of it. His friends and family regularly remind him that he is in fact a good friend and they do all love him.

As they say, humility is a virtue and {{Pride}} goes before a fall but this character might've [[ALessonLearnedTooWell taken those sayings a bit too close to heart.]] Whether due to [[ThePerfectionist excessively high standards,]] [[BulliedIntoDepression constant harassment and denigrations from others]], [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone overwhelming guilt]], or simple InternalizedCategorism, the character has a very low opinion of themselves, often to the point of unreasonable self-hatred.

As they say, humility is a virtue and {{Pride}} goes before a fall, but this character might've [[ALessonLearnedTooWell taken those sayings a bit too close to heart.]] Whether due to [[ThePerfectionist excessively high standards,]] [[BulliedIntoDepression constant harassment and denigrations from others]], [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone overwhelming guilt]], or simple InternalizedCategorism, the character has a very low opinion of themselves, often to the point of unreasonable self-hatred.

* Hakuron from ''Manga/HaouAiren'' keeps saying horrible things about himself and insists in telling Kurumi that he's a monster and she should reject him for such stuff, but that doesn't stop him from hugging her passionately and sexing her up. Many times, against her will.

[[folder:ComicStrips]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Charlie Brown will be the first to tell you his flaws. As he himself will freely admit, he can't fly a kite, loses at every sport he tries, doesn't have the respect of his peers, his kid sister, or even his pet dog. He frequently takes his problems to neighbor Lucy van Pelt, who will gleefully add to his list of failings and charge him for the privilege of letting her tear him down, only for him to agree with her assessments.
--> '''Lucy:''' Do you think you have pantophobia?
--> '''Charlie Brown:''' What's pantophobia?
--> '''Lucy:''' The fear of everything.
--> '''Charlie Brown:''' ({{Beat}})'''''[[SuddenlyShouting THAT'S IT!]]'''''

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* George Bailey from ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife'' suffers this. Despite repeatedly sacrificing his own desires to help others, and doing enormous amounts of good in his hometown, he feels worthless because he's never done anything 'big'.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* ''{{Music/Milgram}}'': Prisoner No. 1, Haruka, has non-existent self-esteem levels due to his abusive mother. He views himself as worthless and constantly apologizes to anyone he talks to for no real reason.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

** Kanata took the attacks on him as a member of the Five Oddballs very much to heart, and genuinely thinks of himself as a monster of the kind that would be defeated by heroes in a story, despite being a genuinely kind person who only had generous intentions before he was victimized.

** Bernadetta and Marianne from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' both have ''horrendous'' self-esteem issues and don't pass up the chance to bring themselves down with insults. In the former's case it has to do with her [[AbusiveParents father]] constantly berating her as an "unmarriageable girl" and in the latter's case it has to do with [[spoiler:the presumed cursed nature of the Crest she bears]]. After the TimeSkip, both are considerably more upbeat though they do slip back into old habits every so often.

[[folder:VisualNovels]]

* ''WebAnimation/LegoMarvelSuperheroesMaximumOverload'': Played for laughs with Spider-Man, who often puts himself down and is prone to declaring "It's all my fault!" At one point, the other heroes demand to know how, exactly, the villains plotting is '''his''' fault, and all the Webhead can do is awkwardly reply, "Give me a minute." In another episode, Thor arrives with Spidey in tow and mentions he found him, "whining on a rooftop" (though Spider-Man insistently points out he was "angsting").

* In the later seasons of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' Meg fell into this trope more often than not. Given her status as extreme ButtMonkey on the show, this isn't surprising.

[[/folder]]

* Prince Alcryst from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'' has low self-esteem due to always comparing himself to his older brother [[TheAce Diamant]] and is constantly putting himself down as a result. Some support conversations, however, suggest that this is because Alcryst is kindhearted and [[BigBrotherWorship cares about his brother too much]] to bring himself to become a GreenEyedMonster that ''hates'' Diamant, thus choosing to hate himself instead.

* Taishi Ichimiya in ''Manga/ServantXService'' has a very poor opinion of his own abilities, and by Episode 3 he actually views Lucy and Yutaka ? both newcomers, even ? as superior to himself despite him being their supervisor. This is in fact the [[InsecureLoveInterest main barrier]] between him and Chihaya.

* Yuuya Sakazaki in ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'' deliberately comes off as [[StepfordSmiler confident, cheerful and carefree]], undisturbed by anything and everything. He's really a secret agent, who is never enough to carry the day on his own but is always crucial, and who has great strengths. Get to know him and you find signs that he doesn't think much of himself, probably stemming from something he did in his past. Oblivious to that, Hiyoko can worry that he sometimes gets self-deriding or despairing and urges him not to listen to his detractors, that [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre he's a better person than he thinks]].

* VisualNovels/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair: Nagito Komaeda often deprecates himself while praising others. He has been known to describe himself as "garbage," "useless," and "worthless," among others.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

-->'''Frasier''': I ''wanted'' my day. I wanted hoopla and fuss, I practically planned the whole thing myself. Says a lot about me as a psychiatrist, doesn't it? I'm a small man.\\
'''Niles''': Well, what does it say about me that I was happy seeing you miss your day? I was jealous all week! I'm a ''tiny'' man.\\
'''Frasier''': Next to me, you're a giant!\\
'''Niles''': I stare up at your ankles!\\
'''Frasier''': I need a stepladder just to —\\
'''Niles''': Oh, let's not do this again.

* ''Series/TedLasso'': Nathan Shelley is this in Season 1. As a lowly, bullied kit man, he is surprised by the slightest bit of kindness and decency shown to him by Ted and others, and is too anxious to share his ideas until Ted encourages him to do so. [[spoiler: This gets deconstructed in Season 2, where the FreudianExcuse for his behavior is shown in the form of his emotionally distant, critical father. So, despite the support from Richmond, Nate's self-deprecation starts to express itself as an InferioritySuperiorityComplex, leading to his FaceHeelTurn at the end of the season. It takes him truly reconciling with his father and learning to love himself in Season 3 for him to find a balance of humility and assertiveness.]]

** She does it again briefly in [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Ww9toFrz8 "the basement"]]: after Lithop assures Daisy that she can help her and [[spoiler: the other monsters, because she's the doctor's daughter,]] Daisy [[TearJerker tearfully]] responds with "Lithop, no, I can't help you, I can't even take care of myself!"\* ''WebAnimation/{{Hololive}}'': [[DontFearTheReaper Calliope Mori]], even after hitting the top charts in the hip-hop genre, is famously known for putting herself down, despite the praise of her friends and fans. She's even touched on the topic in some of her songs.

* While Shiraishi in ''Manga/TanakaKunIsAlwaysListless'' is very competent and popular now, her FriendlessBackground still affects her thought process, and as such she has a tendency to beat herself up over any mistakes.

** She does it again briefly in [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Ww9toFrz8 "the basement"]]: after Lithop assures Daisy that she can help her and [[spoiler: the other monsters, because she's the doctor's daughter,]] Daisy [[TearJerker tearfully]] responds with "Lithop, no, I can't help you, I can't even take care of myself!"