# Change My Mind > Change My Mind is a 2018 image macro meme featuring conservative commentator Steven Crowder seated at a folding table with a customizable sign, used to present controversial or humorous opinions. "Change My Mind" is an exploitable image macro meme featuring conservative commentator Steven Crowder sitting behind a folding table with a sign inviting passersby to debate him. The original photo was taken at Texas Christian University on February 16, 2018, with the sign reading "Male Privilege is a Myth / Change My Mind"[4]. Within days, internet users began replacing the sign text with humorous, absurd, or satirical statements, turning a political debate segment into one of the most versatile opinion-sharing templates online[1]. ## Origin On February 16, 2018, Steven Crowder, an American-Canadian conservative political commentator and host of the "Louder with Crowder" podcast, tweeted a photograph of himself sitting behind a table at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas[4]. The sign read "Male privilege is a myth / Change my mind" and the tweet caption said "Hello @TCU. Come one come all. #ChangeMyMind"[1]. The photo was taken during a recurring segment for his show, where Crowder sets up on college campuses to debate students with opposing viewpoints on camera[3]. The tweet picked up over 900 retweets and 6,400 likes within four days[4]. But the internet saw something Crowder probably didn't intend: a perfect blank canvas for meme creation. - **Platform:** Twitter/Reddit - **Creator:** Steven Crowder (commentator, subject) - **Date:** 2017 (origin), 2018 (meme format) ## Overview The meme uses a photograph of Steven Crowder seated behind a small folding table on a college campus, holding a branded "Louder with Crowder" mug and wearing a blue sweater[3]. A large white sign attached to the front of the table displays a statement followed by "Change My Mind" at the bottom. The composition gives a clear, easily editable focal point: the sign. Crowder's relaxed, confident posture sells the tone of someone daring the world to prove them wrong[6]. What makes the format work is its simplicity. Anyone can swap the sign text to express any opinion, no matter how serious or ridiculous. The "Change My Mind" tagline functions as a built-in call to action, practically begging viewers to engage, agree, or argue[3]. The format works equally well for genuine hot takes ("Pineapple belongs on pizza") and pure absurdist comedy ("Gonna drink this mug of Hot Piss")[4]. ## How It Spread The photoshop edits started just two days after the original tweet. On February 18, 2018, Twitter users began swapping the sign text and Crowder's head with other images[4]. User @Whatchamccaulit replaced Crowder's face with Crying Michael Jordan, while @IanWhetstone changed the sign to read "The clitoris is a myth / Change my mind"[4]. By February 19, the format was picking up speed. Twitter user @RealishKyle posted a version reading "Gonna drink this mug of Hot Piss / Change my mind," pulling in over 200 retweets and 1,500 likes[4]. That same day, Reddit's r/dankmemes got involved. User xereeto posted a version reading "Traps are not gay / Change my mind," which hit over 5,000 upvotes and 120 comments within 24 hours[4]. On February 27, 2018, Know Your Meme user SkeleMann uploaded a clean template version of the image, making it accessible to anyone without Photoshop skills[1]. This opened the floodgates. The meme spread across Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, and dedicated meme generator sites[1]. Platforms like Imgflip and Kapwing added it as a built-in template[1]. By early March 2018, the format had completely detached from its political origins. The sign text ranged from food debates to scientific pedantry to complete nonsense. Popular variations included "Cereal is soup," "Pluto is not a planet," and statements about pop culture preferences[1]. The Irish Independent ran a piece declaring the format had "usurped" the Distracted Boyfriend as the internet's dominant meme[5]. ## How to Use The format typically follows a simple structure: 1. Start with the original photo of Crowder at his table (or the Calvin & Hobbes variant) 2. Replace the sign text with an opinion, hot take, or absurd statement 3. Keep "Change My Mind" at the bottom of the sign 4. Post it to invite debate, agreement, or laughs ## Cultural Impact The "Change My Mind" format crossed over from internet culture into mainstream media coverage within weeks of its creation. The Irish Independent featured the meme in February 2018, listing 15 examples and declaring it a successor to the Distracted Boyfriend format[5]. Crowder's show incorporated the meme's popularity into its branding, producing official merchandise and making the campus debate segment a more prominent part of the show's identity[3]. The meme sparked broader discussions about how political content gets repurposed online. Crowder's original intent was to promote his political views and podcast, but the meme's viral success came through subversion and parody, often by users who disagreed with his positions[1]. This dynamic illustrated how meme formats can develop cultural lives independent of their creators' intentions. The push to replace the Crowder image with a Calvin & Hobbes version in 2023-2024 represented a notable case of a meme community actively trying to separate a format from its original creator for ideological reasons[2]. ## Fun Facts - The meme went from political debate tool to universal template in under 48 hours, one of the fastest context-strippings in meme history[4]. - Crowder was wearing a blue sweater in the original photo that became iconically associated with the template[1]. - The clean template was uploaded to Know Your Meme on February 27, 2018, just 11 days after the original tweet, democratizing creation for users without editing skills[1]. - Urban Dictionary defined "Change My Mind" in 2019, identifying the phrase specifically with the exploitable meme format[7]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the Change My Mind meme? It's an exploitable image macro featuring Steven Crowder sitting behind a table with a sign displaying an opinion followed by "Change My Mind." Users replace the sign text with their own statements to express opinions or make jokes[4]. ### Where did the Change My Mind meme come from? The original photo was taken on February 16, 2018, at Texas Christian University during a segment for Crowder's "Louder with Crowder" show. He tweeted the image and users began editing it within two days[4]. ### What does the Change My Mind meme mean? The format presents an opinion with exaggerated confidence, inviting others to challenge it. It's used both for genuine hot takes and absurd humor, with the "Change My Mind" tagline functioning as a dare[7]. ### How do you use the Change My Mind meme? Replace the sign text with any opinion or statement, keep "Change My Mind" at the bottom, and post it. The statement works best when it's debatable, absurd, or deliberately provocative[3]. ### Is the Change My Mind meme still popular? The format saw peak usage in 2018 but still gets regular use as of the early 2020s. Major meme generator sites like Imgflip maintain dedicated templates for it[1]. ### Who is Steven Crowder? Steven Crowder is an American-Canadian conservative political commentator, comedian, and host of the "Louder with Crowder" podcast and YouTube channel. He created the "Change My Mind" segment as a public debate format on college campuses[1]. ### What was the original sign text? The original sign read "Male Privilege is a Myth / Change My Mind," set up at Texas Christian University on February 16, 2018[4]. ### Why did people want to replace the Crowder image? Some users argued that using the original photo indirectly platformed Crowder, who faced controversy for racist and homophobic content. A 2023-2024 Tumblr movement promoted a Calvin & Hobbes variant as a replacement[2]. ### What were some popular variations of the meme? Common sign texts included "Pineapple belongs on pizza," "Cereal is soup," "Pluto is not a planet," and "The clitoris is a myth," ranging from food debates to science and pop culture[1]. ### Did Crowder make money from the meme? Crowder and his team produced official merchandise including mugs and t-shirts featuring the "Change My Mind" setup, capitalizing on the format's viral reach[3]. ## References 1. [Change My Mind | Meme Reference]() 2. [Change My Mind - Fanlore]() 3. [The Origin of the Famous 'Change My Mind' Meme]() 4. [Change My Mind - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Change My Mind]() 6. [Change My Mind - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [15 examples of the Change My Mind meme that show the Distracted Boyfriend has been usurped | Irish Independent]() 8. [Change my mind Meme — Origin, Meaning, History | MemesGuy]() 9. [Change My Mind – Meaning, Origin, Usage]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/change-my-mind Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library