That depends.
I think there's a big difference between caring what others think and being embarrassed about something, but we tend to mix those two concepts together.
I think "caring what others think" is something that's true even if you're all alone (lying in bed at night for example).
But something like wanting people to stop talking shit behind your back and listening to people snicker at you for something is totally different. I'd say you can easily not give a shit what they actually think and still be bothered by that because there's more to it than just "what they think".

So anyway, I'd say the above describes me. I generally don't tend to be bothered by people's opinions of me beyond the awkward/humiliating encounter itself, and I can usually laugh it off immediately after the situation is over.
But I'm not the type of person who can just totally not give a shit while _around_ people.
Those who can are something else.

>>2
Not OP, but if I understood that right just now, it's the exact same for me as well and I somehow never thought about seperating the two phenomena.

(I like to think that) I don't care about what others think, however I *know* how quick people are to judge things deviating from the norm and I also *know* that I and my interests tend to deviate from the norm quite a lot, at least in the region I'm from. So, I don't have to think of myself as being weird to know that others would most likely think of me as being weird, which is something that makes me anxious because I hate negative attention and would prefer to just be left in peace whenever I'm out. Even though my self-esteem is pretty high, I just can't shake that anxiety off, no matter how hard I try.
It's bothering me quite a lot because it makes me feel caged, even though people have told me countless times that I come across as very charismatic and "confident" in actual conversations. Still, I always feel like I'm acting. When someone makes a joke around me, I smile and make them feel funny even if I don't want to, just because I don't want to throw them off and generate negative attention towards me.
I just don't know how to beat this.

>>3
Yeah I think you get it.
I should have mentioned this in my other post too, but I even hate positive attention (like winning an award and having to stand up in front of everyone, or having people sing happy birthday to me).
And there's no way to really confuse "caring what others think" with "hating positive attention" right? Those things are clearly distinct, so this example makes it more obvious.

But I completely understand what you're saying. In my opinion what you've said IS a sign of someone who doesn't care so much what others think because you're aware of it and still choose to do your own thing.
People who care too much about what others think of them would become aware of it and change who they are as a result to be more accepted.