17 vs now
Every single person looks the same. You just have a different haircut. Could not participate because I am of the belief that I don’t have any photos of myself at 17 which is not true they're just all on Facebook. Also everyone knows these trends are made by puppet accounts so AI can figure out how we age or whatever the conspiracy theory is.
I love him. I want to see that video once a day. When I opened it I had low expectations, another dumb viral twink, but the way he spits out the boba makes me laugh out loud. It brings me such joy. The dramatic irony that sets in when he says “I think the boba dissolves” is incredible. I don’t care if it's fake. It's a well executed performance if it’s fake and the most beautiful genuine human moment if it’s real.
Bill and Melinda Gates
Bill Gates has always seemed more like a symbol than a real person. Throughout the pandemic he’s been a figure of much discussion. The QAnon people thought he invented covid and was planning to implant us with microchips when the vaccines arrived. More recently he’s been the face of the vaccine patent issue, preventing India and other countries from making and providing the vaccine to their citizens. No matter where your politics fall, he’s become a super villain. He and his wife getting a divorce only adds fuel to the fire of him being evil. Even though no one thought she was a trapped Melania figure, I guess we’re all happy(?) to see our girl(?) freed just in time for Hot Girl Summer.
The Bidens and the Carters photo
The Biden Presidency is going to produce a lot of memes not because he’s particularly funny but because Democrats are so obsessed with wanting him to be cool and funny like Obama and Leftists are obsessed with making him seem weird. Old people are small, there’s no need to keep talking about this one.
Academic Paper Memes
A little something for the JSTOR crowd. I haven’t read an academic paper since 2018 so I’m glad yous are all having a good time.
Tiktok
Oh My God Did He Call Her Baby?
It’s just random XD humor. We’re gonna get a buzzfeed explainer or something talking about people’s “ruined sense of humor” or Dadaism with this one. I don’t care. Kids think being random is funny and sometimes they’re right, but mostly they’re wrong. Others are fed up as well and offering their own analysis of what this sound means for us.
I’m Not the Main Character I’m…
It’s weird that like a year after main character discourse we're doing it again but this is a much better version. I like it when people can identify themselves and how they would show up in fiction. It reveals more self knowledge than saying “I’m the main character”. Main characters are often boring blank canvases. I like it when people are like “oh I’m that one” and it’s a dynamic interesting side character. It’s fun to watch anything and go “which one am I?”
He Yo The Person That Sent You This
Those people in that video sure did talk weird.
Sometimes it’s about not having a boyfriend cause you're fat which we simply don’t need more memes about. Sometimes it’s about not having a boyfriend because you have a life size cutout of Sal from the Impractical Jokers in your room which is very funny and I want to see more of.
You Could Have Done So Much More
How in the world are there still popular sounds from Hamilton in spring 2021. I think this one is a revival from the summer but I don’t remember. There’s got to be a better way to represent whatever you are talking about, which for this trend is fictional characters who deserved better.
Something that toes the line of patting yourself on the back for not having a racist white father but I don’t really think that’s what these girls are doing. The girls are more accurately saying no one cares that your dad’s a cop and then showing us funny videos of their dads. Teenage girls doing what they do best, bullying.
Am I seeing this sound a bunch because I’m obsessed with Northern Ireland? Probably but it’s also taking off in popularity as the weather gets nicer and we’re drinking outside with friends. It's a fun easy trend to do while you’re a little bit tipsy. They always want you to guess which one of the girls is from Northern Ireland and I simply never know because they all look so British.
There’s probably something to be said for how kids on Tiktok experience emotion and how if they don’t share every emotion they feel they’re hiding or ashamed of it. Trends on Instagram or Twitter are rarely so saccharine but on Tiktok, we live to make each other cry. It goes hand in hand with the need to trauma dump or comment on something you should have kept to yourself. For these kids there is no filter. No boundary of something you can say to your friends but not put on the internet. Not that these nice things the kids are saying to their parents should be kept private but I don’t want to see ten videos a day of kids crying about their moms bringing them snacks. Personally I’ll just never like a trend where the point is to make you a little bit sad.
Another old trend that people are repeating. Now there’s a twist where people make their pets talk and I have to say I do like it. I love it when people make it look like their cats are talking. However Tiktok will never give up on this 7 minute Lil Dicky song and I need them to. Enough. Enough. If we have to choose a white rapper to constantly be hyping up I’d prefer Yung Gravy. At least his songs are listenable.
Never that good. Identifying with Prince Charles even with a sound is a bad look! If you’re using his argument you’ve already lost! Also this sound having popularity is proof that we’re in a lull culturally and we need like a new show or a movie to really take us by storm. I know people are loving Mare of Eastown and The Circle but we need a summer version of Bridgerton. New, Exciting, Pulpy, Fun. It’s summer and we’re using sounds from The Crown? Come on.
I Work At The Bank Here Is A Dollar
Love that the guy who made it is confused as to why it’s popular. I am too. Maybe it’s just that people are desperate to let you know that they’re compromising their morals for their jobs. I don’t have a job so I don’t have this desire and can’t say for sure.
Found this one recently. Really popular on straight Tiktok and eeking it’s way over to alt Tiktok. Gets to one of the base human emotions, want a gf. Unfortunately it’s Hot Girl Summer and we can’t count on getting gfs until cuffing season.