Stuff like Bono saying he 'cringes' at U2 songs just comes over as faux-humility and a self-conscious PR exercise.
I do wish he'd stop doing that. If U2 want to be seen as more humble, they need to make themselves more accessible - do interviews with someone other than multi-billionaires like Oprah and chat via new media outlets (go on a podcast nobody would expect you to - heck even Paul McCartney went on Adam Buxton last year), provide live bootleg releases for free like Springsteen, stop making everyone pay for every utterance you say (Sirius).
It ain't just their bland MOR music of today that is off putting. U2's pompous attitude in being so 'exclusive' is what puts people off them. A band so desperate to be relevant yet refuse to engage in a more accessible way. Bizarre attitude.
Cash is king I suppose, the overriding factor that has made them creatively bankrupt sadly.