# Anti Memes
Anti-memes are image macros built around anti-jokes and meta humor that mock the conventions of other internet memes[3]. The concept was named in a 2009 Big Fat Whale webcomic and hit peak Reddit and BuzzFeed attention in late 2016 and early 2017[1][2].
## Overview
Anti Memes are image macros built around anti-jokes and meta humor that make fun of the conventions of other internet memes[3]. Instead of delivering a punchline, an anti-meme either strips the joke out entirely, explains the setup in the most literal way possible, or replaces a familiar meme template with a mundane, sincere, or completely unrelated caption[6]. The format shares DNA with Wholesome Memes and Reverse Memes, playing with reader expectations rather than trying to land a traditional gag.
Typical examples take a widely recognized template like Evil Kermit, This Is Fine or Bae Come Over and flatten the joke into something a real person might actually say in that situation[7]. Urban Dictionary sums up the appeal bluntly, defining an anti-meme as 'a meme of which the joke is that there is no joke'[3]. Many entries lean on MS Paint aesthetics and low-effort visuals as part of the bit.
## How It Spread
On September 25th, 2016, the @memearchive Twitter account posted an image macro stitching together Bae Come Over, The Barber, Nut Button and Doggo into one incoherent joke, an early viral anti-meme[3]. About six weeks later, on November 6th, Imgur user TheRealOle uploaded a gallery titled 'A little bit of anti-memes'[3].
The format broke into wider Reddit awareness on November 21st, 2016, when JarJarsMyHero posted 'Anti Memes are Skyrocketing! Buy Now!' to /r/MemeEconomy, pulling in over 4,600 points at 92% upvoted within a month[5]. The next day, Redditor jayjenks dropped an MS Paint style Evil Kermit edit captioned with a flat anti-joke about the format itself, hitting more than 3,200 points on /r/me_irl over two months[6]. On November 30th, Dr-Dangerous posted a This Is Fine edit where the dog just says 'This is a cup of coffee' to /r/me_irl[7].
Mainstream pickup arrived on January 3rd, 2017, when BuzzFeed published a listicle titled '19 Anti-Memes For People Who Have Evolved Past Memes'[2]. The following day, Redditor mfkdso posted 'BuzzFeed has picked up Anti-Memes. Sell!' to /r/MemeEconomy, gathering more than 3,500 points at 95% upvoted and over 100 comments in 24 hours[8].
## How to Use
To make an anti-meme, start with a widely recognized template such as Evil Kermit, This Is Fine, or Bae Come Over[6]. Swap the expected punchline for something literal, sincere, boring, or wildly off-topic, letting the gap between the setup and the payoff carry the humor. Common conventions include MS Paint-tier art, over-explaining the joke, or having the character say something a normal person would actually say in that situation[7].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Anti Memes?
Anti Memes are image macros captioned with anti-jokes and meta humor that mock other internet memes, often by removing the punchline or replacing it with something flat and literal[3].
### Where did Anti Memes come from?
The webcomic Big Fat Whale published a strip called 'Internet Anti-Memes & Non-Sensations' on January 30th, 2009, and the /r/antimeme subreddit launched on February 8th, 2012[1][4].
### What does Anti Memes mean?
Urban Dictionary defines an anti-meme as 'a meme of which the joke is that there is no joke,' with the humor coming from subverting what viewers expect from a familiar template[3].
### How do you use Anti Memes?
Take a recognizable meme template like Evil Kermit or This Is Fine and swap the punchline for a literal, sincere, or unrelated line, as Redditors jayjenks and Dr-Dangerous did in November 2016[6][7].
### Is Anti Memes still popular?
The format hit peak attention with BuzzFeed's January 2017 listicle and the /r/MemeEconomy 'Sell!' post, and /r/antimeme is still active as a home for the style years later[2][8].
## References
1. [https://www.bigfatwhale.com/]()
2. [https://www.buzzfeed.com/]()
3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/anti-memes]()
4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/antimeme/]()
5. [https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/comments/anti-memes-skyrocketing/]()
6. [https://www.reddit.com/r/me_irl/comments/evil-kermit-anti-meme/]()
7. [https://www.reddit.com/r/me_irl/comments/this-is-a-cup-of-coffee/]()
8. [https://www.reddit.com/r/MemeEconomy/comments/buzzfeed-anti-memes-sell/]()
---
Source: https://meme.com/memes/anti-memes
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library