The Quotable Murr, on the most common "humble brag" of them all

When you speak too frequently about the "amazing" or "brilliant" people that you are so lucky work with, it soon transforms in your listener's perception from magnanimity and gratitude to a rhetorical trick that makes you the arbiter of brilliance and amazingness (and a humble-braggart who portrays it as all surrounding you).

Comments

[Glynn]

I was going to say that was an amazing and brilliant insight, but I decided instead to say I agree. Happy New Year, David.

[Jason]

There's more to it than that. Who hires a team of brilliant people and one dope? The suggestion that your office is filled with brilliant people implies that you, too, are brilliant.

[David Murray]

Exactly.