# 3 Drinks Later > 3 Drinks Later is a 2016 image-macro snowclone featuring a sobriety pledge followed by escalating photos of radical, revolutionary, or absurd political figures. "3 Drinks Later" is an image macro meme built around the caption "me: i promise i won't get all political / 3 drinks later," paired with photos of famous radicals, revolutionaries, or absurd political figures as the punchline[2]. The format originated on Facebook in September 2016 and quickly spread as users swapped in everything from historical extremists to pop culture references[1]. ## Origin The first known version appeared on September 11, 2016, on the Facebook page @SarcasticDragonite[2]. That post used an image of Soviet communist leader Vladimir Lenin as the punchline. The same day, a screenshot of the Facebook post and its comment thread was shared to the subreddit r/iamverysmart by user Cerberus73, where it picked up 69 upvotes[2]. - **Platform:** Facebook (@SarcasticDragonite), Reddit (viral spread) - **Creator:** @SarcasticDragonite (original poster) - **Date:** 2016 ## Overview The meme plays on a universal social experience: someone at a party or bar swears they won't start ranting about politics, then a few drinks in, they're giving impassioned speeches about revolution or policy[1]. The format uses a two-part setup. The top text reads "me: i promise i won't get all political" and the bottom delivers "3 drinks later" above a photo of a well-known political extremist, radical leader, or satirical stand-in[2]. The humor comes from the gap between the calm promise and the wild punchline image. ## How It Spread In the days following the original post, the format took off as users created their own versions using artistic renderings of different political scenes paired with the caption[2]. The meme quickly evolved beyond straightforward political figures. People started plugging in pop culture references, other memes, and snowclone variations that swapped "political" for other behaviors people promise they won't do after drinking[2]. On October 6, 2016, Stackward published a roundup of some of the best "3 Drinks Later" jokes, showcasing how broad the format had already gotten[1]. The meme tapped into a widely relatable scenario. As Stackward put it, "everybody has that one friend that after a number of drinks becomes a revolutionary politic, a philosopher or a winny person"[1]. That relatability drove the format across Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter through late 2016 and into 2017. ## How to Use The format typically follows a two-part structure: 1. **Setup text:** "me: i promise i won't get all political" (or a variation swapping "political" for another behavior like "emotional," "philosophical," or "weird"). 2. **Punchline label:** "3 drinks later" (sometimes "2 drinks later" or "5 drinks later" for exaggeration). 3. **Punchline image:** A photo of a famous revolutionary, extremist, historical figure, or any absurd image that implies a total personality shift. ## Fun Facts - The very first version used Vladimir Lenin, setting the tone for political extremism as the go-to punchline category[2]. - The original Reddit post on r/iamverysmart landed exactly 69 upvotes, a number the internet never tires of[2]. - The meme spawned snowclone variants where "political" was replaced with other promises people break while drinking, like "i promise i won't cry" or "i promise i won't talk about my ex"[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is 3 Drinks Later? It's an image macro meme where someone promises not to get political, then the punchline shows them as a famous radical or extremist "3 drinks later"[2]. ### Where did 3 Drinks Later come from? The first version appeared on the Facebook page @SarcasticDragonite on September 11, 2016, featuring a photo of Vladimir Lenin[2]. ### What does 3 Drinks Later mean? The meme jokes about how people lose their filter after a few drinks, turning into passionate political debaters or emotional wrecks despite promising they wouldn't[1]. ### How do you use 3 Drinks Later? Write "me: i promise i won't get all political" as the setup, then add "3 drinks later" above an image of someone or something that implies a total personality shift[2]. ### Is 3 Drinks Later still popular? The format peaked in late 2016 and early 2017 but still gets used occasionally, especially during election seasons or political controversies[1]. ### Who created the 3 Drinks Later meme? The Facebook page @SarcasticDragonite posted the first known version on September 11, 2016[2]. ### What was the original 3 Drinks Later image? The original punchline image was a photo of Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet communist revolutionary[2]. ### Can you use 3 Drinks Later for non-political topics? Yes. Snowclone variations swap "political" for other promises people break while drinking, like getting emotional or talking about an ex[2]. ## References 1. [15 Proofs The 'I Promise I Wont Get All Political' Is The Best Memes Today]() 2. [3 Drinks Later - Know Your Meme]() 3. [6-7 meme]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/3-drinks-later Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library