A nobleman is bragging about his shoes; next, he touts his own excellent qualities to a noblewoman he has never met before; then he gets up on a chair to give a loud and insistent presentation about his accomplishments. A young girl listens, as the noblewoman from before turns her back on him. The nobleman now takes a loudhailer and speaks louder than ever before. The only person listening to him is the girl, who looks on, puzzled. They blankly look at each other for a while, until the girl, too, eventually turns her back on him. He stands alone, his shoulders drooping.
"Once upon a time, there was a man who had not been heard."
The notion of bragging
When we brag, it is basically because we have not been sufficiently praised, seen and heard. We sing our own praises when no one else seems interested in praising us. We need acknowledgement and recognition and we yearn to be seen for who we are.
Empty barrels make the most sound – and the same is true when we brag. Low self-esteem often makes us turn up the volume, and that results in bragging. Bragging offers instant gratification, but the pleasure is short-lived.
Bragging always comes back to hurt us. Like a boomerang it hits us when we least expect it, often long after we bragged. Unfortunately, when the boomerang hits us in the back of the head, it usually does so when it is truly the last thing we need.