Every meme explained: the meaning, the origin and the format that made it viral
Every meme explained: the meme meaning and origin, the format it spread in, and why it went viral. Meme explained entries covering where each one started.
Meme meaning and origin, in that order
Each entry gives the meme meaning and origin before anything else: the image or phrase it started as, the place it first spread, and the format other people copied. A meme explained without its origin is just a caption, so the origin comes first.
Why a format goes viral, and what the origin tells you
Most of what goes viral does so because the format is easy to reuse, not because the first post was funny. The entries below say which part of each meme is the reusable format and which part was specific to the original, which is usually what people are trying to work out.
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Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions: The Meme Explained
"Modern problems require modern solutions" is a meme featuring comedian Dave Chappelle tapping his temple with a knowing look, used…
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Black Air Force 1 Memes: The Shoes With a Reputation
Black Air Force 1s are not just shoes - they are a meme, a warning sign, and a cultural phenomenon.…
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Who Is Joe? Joe Mama - The Classic Internet Joke Explained
"Joe Mama" is a classic setup-and-punchline joke where someone mentions a person named "Joe," waits for the victim to ask…
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Wait, It's All ___? Always Has Been - The Astronaut Meme Explained
The "Wait, it's all ___? Always has been" meme features two astronauts in space looking down at Earth. The first…
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Let Me In! The Eric Andre Gate Meme Explained
The "Let Me In" meme features comedian Eric Andre desperately shaking a locked gate while screaming, used to express intense,…
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The Two Fingers Touching Emoji Meme, Explained
The two fingers touching emoji combo (pointing right + pointing left) is the internet's universal symbol for shyness, nervousness, or…
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The Expanding Brain Meme, Explained
The expanding brain meme is a multi-panel format that ranks ideas, choices, or takes from "normal" to "transcendent." Each panel…
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It Is Wednesday My Dudes: The Meme That Carries Us Through the Week
"It is Wednesday, my dudes" is the internet's weekly tradition. Every Wednesday, without fail, someone somewhere posts a picture of…
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The 'He's a 10 But' Meme Got a 2026 Upgrade — Meet 'They're Perfect But'
Remember "He's a 10 but…"? The viral dating game where you'd rate someone's attractiveness and then drop a dealbreaker? It…
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“365 buttons” and the rise of the button girl meme
The Brief “365 buttons,” sometimes shortened to button girl , is a TikTok meme about committing to an oddly specific…
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What Does “I’m Baby” Mean?
“I’m baby” is one of those internet phrases that manages to be simultaneously absurd, endearing, and endlessly adaptable. It works…