In an ideal world then, each musician would play in a small, sound-proof box, whatever they wished to play. The audience would wear special headphones where they could switch from one player to the next until they found something they liked. Unfortunately, an orchestra is a group of players working to produce an orchestrated sound. Those sounds are written down by the one who created the orchestral piece and then interpreted by the one actually conducting the performance. In other words, it's a group thing and when you are working with a group to get anything of note done (pun intended) you have to agree on the tune.
I've always wondered what the difference in appearance would be between a person who is represented by the quote, and a person who isn't. How does one say one needs to learn without saying one needs to learn? And what would you do if you did have "overwhelming, stupendous knowledge," keep it to yourself? Assuming the "self-effacement" is just for appearance's sake, focuses on the motivations, not the act, and motivations are a tricky thing. How does one climb into a person's mind and see what they sometimes can't see themselves ("subconsciously?") And If that person is convinced they are actually being genuine, what would the difference be in a subconscious expression of a disingenuous and genuine expression?
In the long run such musing (there's that "muse" again) are choosing to put a "bad face" (my second pun -- aren't you lucky!) on the persons self-effacement. In other words, it could, as easily, be a genuine expression.
Putting the most positive interpretation on what another says does two things. It avoids taking insult where insult was not intended, and it forces the speaker who did intend an insult to be much more clear.
AJ