propensity to make oneself look bad; tendency to act bad
Describes a person's inclination to present themselves in a worse light than necessary, often by acting or speaking in a way that invites negative judgment. A somewhat literary or psychological term.
People around him are puzzled by his tendency to make himself look bad.
That author's propensity to put himself in a bad light is also evident in his works.
Compound of 偽 (false, pseudo), 悪 (bad, evil), and 趣味 (taste, inclination). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged as a psychological or literary term describing a contrarian tendency to adopt a negative self-image.