# A Core Memory > A Core Memory is a reaction image and video meme featuring sentimental footage from Pixar's 2015 *Inside Out*, paired with the film's soundtrack and dreamy echo effects to represent meaningful or embarrassing moments. "A Core Memory" is an image macro and video meme drawn from the 2015 Pixar film *Inside Out*, where "core memories" are life-defining moments stored as glowing orbs in the brain. The format first hit Reddit in 2019 as a reaction image, then exploded on TikTok in 2022 as creators paired sentimental footage with the film's soundtrack and a dreamy echo effect. The phrase "core memory" crossed over into everyday internet slang for any moment too meaningful (or too embarrassing) to forget. ## Origin On May 29th, 2015, the Disney UK YouTube channel uploaded a clip from *Inside Out* showing Joy explaining core memories. The clip pulled in over 816,000 views within five years[4]. The film itself debuted in U.S. theaters on June 19th, 2015, introducing the concept of core memories to mainstream audiences[3]. The meme format didn't emerge until over four years later. On August 19th, 2019, Reddit user EpicRoy13 posted an image macro featuring a screenshot of Joy with the subtitle "A new core memory!" paired with a joke about the brain's reaction to an embarrassing moment. The post earned more than 11,000 upvotes[4]. - **Platform:** Pixar's *Inside Out* (source material), Reddit (meme format), TikTok (viral video trend) - **Creator:** EpicRoy13 (first known Reddit meme post), Pixar (source film) - **Date:** 2015 (film origin), 2019 (meme format) ## Overview The "A Core Memory" meme uses screenshots from Pixar's *Inside Out*, most commonly the character Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) holding up or admiring a glowing orb with the caption "A new core memory!" In the film, core memories are created during significant life events and go on to shape a person's personality[4]. The meme applies this concept to both meaningful and absurd situations, joking that a random or embarrassing moment just became permanently seared into the brain. Beyond the image macro format, "core memory" also became a standalone phrase used across social media. On TikTok, it evolved into a full-blown video trend where users share heartwarming clips set to the *Inside Out* theme song with an echo filter, turning home videos into cinematic highlight reels[2]. ## How It Spread After EpicRoy13's initial post, the format spread steadily across Reddit through 2020. On February 15th, 2020, user organic_crystal_meth posted a variation about interrupting one's parents during sex, pulling in over 4,000 points and 790 comments[4]. Two months later, user AngryAngusBeef posted a Harambe-themed version that hit 34,000 upvotes[4]. The meme's second wave arrived on TikTok in early 2022 and dwarfed the Reddit era. Creators started pairing personal video clips with the *Inside Out* soundtrack and TikTok's "Echo" sound effect, giving footage a dreamy, movie-montage quality[2]. The Echo sound alone was used in over 200,000 videos, and #CoreMemories racked up over 650 million views on TikTok[2]. The TikTok trend leaned wholesome. A college student named London went viral with over 4 million views when she found out she'd been accepted to her dream school during a fast food shift[2]. Preslie Brown shared childhood footage of playing in fall leaves with her grandfather, hitting 400,000 views[2]. One video even framed a puppy seeing her owner in a wedding dress as a "core memory," earning 3.3 million views[2]. The concept got another boost in 2024 when Pixar released *Inside Out 2*, renewing public interest in the "core memory" framework and sparking fresh waves of #corememory content on Instagram and TikTok[3]. ## How to Use **Image macro format (Reddit-style):** 1. Take a screenshot of Joy from *Inside Out* holding or admiring a glowing orb 2. Add the caption "A new core memory!" at the bottom 3. Pair it with a setup describing a moment (typically embarrassing, weird, or unexpectedly significant) that your brain will never let you forget 4. Choose a personal video clip of a genuinely meaningful moment 5. Add the *Inside Out* theme song or a soft piano track 6. Apply the Echo effect for a dreamy, cinematic quality 7. Caption it with something like "a core memory" or use #CoreMemory ## Cultural Impact The spread of "core memory" from a Pixar plot device to everyday internet vocabulary caught the attention of psychologists and journalists. Inverse published a piece in 2022 examining the science behind the trend, noting that while the film's depiction is artistically compelling, real memories don't work quite like glowing orbs[1]. Professor Simona Ghetti of UC Davis explained that "core memories are not real in that we do not record events and do not retain nuggets of clear and vivid memories that can be uncovered in their original form"[1]. Therapists weighed in too. Access Therapy and Peachey Counselling both published articles breaking down how the trend relates to psychological concepts like autobiographical memory, emotional tagging, and attachment theory[3][6]. The trend gave therapists a pop-culture entry point for discussing how memories actually form and change over time. Neuroscience research supports the idea that emotionally intense experiences create stronger memories through a process called emotional tagging, where neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine enhance memory formation[3]. But experts caution that the trend oversimplifies things. Memories are not fixed recordings. They shift every time you recall them, and your mood at the time of remembering can reshape the details[1]. Professor Jennifer Ryan of the University of Toronto noted that "the exact experience for two people may be interpreted very differently, and elicit two different reactions"[1]. The trend also taps into what researchers call the "reminiscence bump," where older adults disproportionately recall moments from ages 10 to 30, often with warm feelings regardless of how they felt at the time[1]. The TikTok trend essentially has young people pre-labeling their own highlight reel in real time. Despite the scientific caveats, the trend's popularity reflects a genuine desire to mark and share life's small, beautiful moments. As one therapist put it, while we can't predict which experiences will stick, emotions are the strongest driver of long-term memory retention[6]. ## Fun Facts - The *Inside Out* theme song sound on TikTok was used in over 200,000 videos even though many creators swapped in different piano tracks[2]. - Psychologists note that every time you recall a memory, you can actually change it. Your "core memory" might be partly fiction[1]. - The concept of emotionally charged memories shaping behavior has roots in Carl Jung's theory of complexes and Sigmund Freud's work on early childhood experiences, long before Pixar got involved[3]. - Studies using fMRI brain scans show increased activity in the amygdala and hippocampus when people recall emotionally significant memories, suggesting these memories really are processed differently than everyday ones[3]. - Despite the trend's positive vibes, therapists emphasize that core memories can also be traumatic, leading to flashbacks and avoidance behaviors[6]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "A Core Memory"? "A Core Memory" is a meme based on the 2015 Pixar film *Inside Out*, where core memories are significant life events stored as glowing orbs in the brain. As a meme, it's used as both an image macro on Reddit and a video trend on TikTok to label moments as unforgettable[4]. ### Where did "A Core Memory" come from? The concept comes from *Inside Out* (2015). The meme format started on Reddit on August 19th, 2019, when user EpicRoy13 posted the first image macro using a screenshot of Joy with the caption "A new core memory!"[4]. ### What does "A Core Memory" mean? When someone says "a core memory" online, they're flagging a moment as deeply memorable, whether genuinely meaningful or hilariously embarrassing. The phrase borrows from *Inside Out*'s idea that certain experiences permanently shape who you are[5]. ### How do you use "A Core Memory"? For the image macro, pair a screenshot of Joy from *Inside Out* with a setup describing a memorable moment. For the TikTok trend, share a personal video clip with the *Inside Out* theme song and an echo filter[2]. You can also just comment "core memory" on any post showing a meaningful moment. ### Is "A Core Memory" still popular? Yes. The meme saw a major resurgence with the release of *Inside Out 2* in 2024, and the phrase "core memory" is widely used as casual internet slang across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter[3]. ### Are core memories a real scientific concept? Not exactly. The term comes from Pixar, not psychology. However, the idea that emotionally charged experiences create stronger, longer-lasting memories is well-supported by neuroscience research on emotional tagging and autobiographical memory[1][3]. ### How many views did #CoreMemories get on TikTok? The hashtag #CoreMemories had over 650 million views on TikTok as of early 2022, with over 200,000 videos using the Echo sound effect paired with the *Inside Out* soundtrack[2]. ### What is the Echo effect on TikTok? The Echo effect is a TikTok audio filter that adds a reverb-like, dreamy quality to sounds. Combined with the *Inside Out* theme, it makes home videos feel like cinematic montages and became the signature audio style of the core memory trend[2]. ### Can you actually create a core memory on purpose? Psychologists say you can't reliably predict which moments will become lasting memories. Emotional intensity is the biggest factor in memory retention, but the brain ultimately decides what sticks[6]. ### Why do therapists talk about core memories? The trend gave therapists a pop-culture hook for discussing how memories actually work. Several therapy practices published articles explaining concepts like memory reconsolidation, emotional tagging, and the difference between the Pixar version and real psychology[3][6]. ### What was the most viral core memory TikTok? Several TikToks broke through, including a college student named London learning she got into her dream school (4 million+ views) and a puppy in a bridesmaid dress seeing her owner in a wedding gown (3.3 million views)[2]. ## References 1. [TikTok’s “core memories” trend reveals a vital aspect of how humans create identity]() 2. [TikTok Echo Effect Goes Viral As People Share Cinematic ‘Core Memories’ - Newsweek]() 3. [Breaking Down the CoreMemory Trend: What is a Core Memory? — Access Therapy]() 4. [A Core Memory - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Meme]() 6. [A Core Memory - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [What are Core Memories and Do They Matter? — Peachey Counselling and Family Support]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/a-core-memory Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library