Recognition of the value of self effacement can be found among the great philosophers, such as Fredrich Nietzsche:

"I LIVE IN MY OWN PLACE - HAVE NEVER COPIED NOBODY EVEN HALF, AND AT ANY MASTER WHO LACKS THE GRACE - TO LAUGH AT HIMSELF - I LAUGH."
- Fredrich Nietzsche

But from more practical "advice-givers, such as Wayne Dyer, as well:

"IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BE ANGRY AND LAUGH AT THE SAME TIME. ANGER AND LAUGHTER ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE EITHER."

Sure, sometimes it's all we can do, with no other sane choice available to us. For instance:

"IF YOU ARE BEING RUN OUT OF TOWN, GET OUT IN FRONT AND ACT LIKE YOU ARE LEADING A BAND."
- Anon

How do we learn the art of self effacement? A good start is to listen, really listen, to our friends. Why them? Because:

"Friends are helpful not only because they will listen to us, but because they will laugh at us; through them we learn a little objectivity, a little modesty, a little courtesy; we learn the rules of life and become better players of the game."

And sometimes we have to "fake it till we make it." For example:

"A WOMAN WHO PRETENDS TO LAUGH AT LOVE IS LIKE A CHILD WHO SINGS AT NIGHT WHEN HE IS AFRAID."
- Anon

But they both work, regardless of the process. Isn't that our bottom line? I have observed that "Babe Magnets" are men that almost always use self effacement like a scalpel instead of a hammer:

"SMALL DOSES OF WELL PLACED SELF- INFLICTED HUMOR CAN BE A POWERFUL APHRODISIAC, BUT USED EXCLUSIVELY IT CAUSES A WOMAN TO RUN FOR THE HILLS, FOR SHE BEGINS TO THINK IT IS NO JOKE."
- Twyman

Or to put it more eloquently, a person much more qualified to speak on the subject than myself, famously said that:

"IF YOU CAN MAKE A GIRL LAUGH, YOU CAN MAKE HER DO ANYTHING."
- Marilyn Monroe

Here are some other celebrity examples of what we are talking about:

Al Gore:
"MY NAME IS AL GORE AND I USED TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES."

Alan Watts:
"I AM MERELY A SPIRITUAL ENTERTAINER."

Cary Grant:
(when asked about his legendary success with women)
"I TELL THEM I CANT GET IT UP."

Mitch Hedberg:
"THIS COMEDY IS ALL PART OF MY 'GET RICH SLOW' SCHEME....AND IT'S WORKING."

So, why not make it easy on yourself and be more effective at the same time:

"IF YOU HEAR THAT SOMEONE IS SPEAKING ILL OF YOU, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DEFEND YOURSELF YOU SHOULD SAY: "HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT KNOW ME VERY WELL, SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER FAULTS HE COULD HAVE MENTIONED."
- Epictetus

And from Alan Alda, an actor that has tackled many diverse roles:
"LAUGH AT YOURSELF, BUT DON'T EVER AIM YOUR DOUBT AT YOURSELF. BE BOLD. WHEN YOU EMBARK FOR STRANGE PLACES, DON'T LEAVE ANY OF YOURSELF SAFELY ON SHORE. HAVE THE NERVE TO GO INTO UNEXPLORED TERRITORY."

So:

"IF EVIL BE SPOKEN OF YOU AND IT BE TRUE, CORRECT YOURSELF, IF IT BE A LIE, LAUGH AT IT."
- Epictetus

And never forget, for others certainly won't, that:

"ANYONE WHO TAKES HIMSELF TOO SERIOUSLY ALWAYS RUNS THE RISK OF LOOKING RIDICULOUS; ANYONE WHO CAN CONSISTENTLY LAUGH AT HIMSELF DOES NOT."
- Vaclav Havel

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