# Im Sorry I Cant Hear You Over The Sound Of How Awesome I Am > I'm Sorry I Can't Hear You Over The Sound Of How Awesome I Am is a 2005 image macro and demotivational poster meme originating from Star Trek fan fiction parody, used to mock inflated egos and self-importance. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am" is a catchphrase and demotivational poster meme that originated from a Star Trek fan fiction parody in February 2005[1]. The line, originally attributed to Captain Kirk, became a popular image macro format used to highlight someone's perceived awesomeness or mock inflated egos. It gained mainstream attention after being used in real-world workplace incidents involving Blackwater USA contractors and an Edmonton police chief[4]. ## Origin The catchphrase first appeared in February 2005 on the website Five-Minute Star Trek, a fan project that published comedic, condensed rewrites of Star Trek episodes[1]. A writer going by "Kira" penned a parody of the 1967 episode "The Return of the Archons," in which Captain Kirk defeats a planet-controlling computer named Landru using the classic logic paradox "this statement is false"[2]. After the computer explodes, Kirk delivers the line: "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am"[1]. The quote captured Kirk's signature egotism, played up to absurd levels in the parody format. The original Star Trek episode, written by Boris Sobelman based on a story by Gene Roddenberry, first aired on NBC on February 9, 1967[2]. In the actual episode, Kirk and Spock argue the computer into self-destruction through a logical argument about free will. The parody version compressed this into a one-liner followed by Kirk's self-congratulation[1]. The first known demotivational-style image macro using the phrase appeared on Echosphere.net sometime before August 13, 2006[5]. - **Platform:** Five-Minute Star Trek (fiveminute.net), Echosphere.net (first image macro) - **Creator:** Kira (Five-Minute Star Trek writer) - **Date:** 2005 (phrase), 2006 (image macro) ## Overview The phrase works as a comedic flex, typically overlaid on a demotivational-style poster format. The subject of the image is someone (or something) caught in a moment that radiates confidence, absurdity, or accidental coolness. The black-bordered demotivational layout frames the caption beneath the image, turning the boast into either genuine praise or sarcastic commentary depending on context[5]. The phrase is sometimes shortened to "I can't hear you over how awesome I am"[5]. ## How It Spread The image macro format was spotted as early as August 9, 2006, when a personal blog called Big Blog of Cheese mentioned it alongside other Star Trek motivational posters[3]. The post noted the existence of multiple online motivational poster generators that made creating these images easy, and pointed to a Flickr group where users uploaded their own demotivational creations[3]. By mid-September 2007, the meme crossed into real-world controversy. A demotivational image featuring the phrase began circulating among employees of Blackwater USA, the private military firm, and soldiers stationed in Baghdad[5]. This happened shortly after the Nisour Square massacre on September 16, 2007, when Blackwater contractors killed 17 Iraqi civilians[7]. The image was used to mock the stereotypically aggressive attitude of Blackwater employees. Coverage of the demotivational's circulation appeared on MSNBC and the Democratic Underground forum[5]. In June 2009, the meme made headlines again in Edmonton, Canada. An official portrait of Edmonton Police Service Chief Michael J. Boyd was turned into a poster with the caption "I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am" and mass-emailed to police staff[4]. Dozens of copies were also posted on walls at police headquarters[4]. Boyd, who was unpopular with rank-and-file officers due to directives like requiring clean language when dealing with criminals, launched a formal investigation[6]. He assigned officers to take fingerprints from the physical posters and ordered IT staff to trace the email's source[4]. Boyd stated that "it is not unusual for frustrated persons in an organization to express their displeasure with leadership" but warned that insubordination charges would follow if the creator was identified[4]. The incident was covered by CBC News and later referenced in reports about Boyd's resignation in December 2010[6]. The phrase also made its way into gaming. Blizzard Entertainment added "I Can't Hear You Over the Sound of How Awesome I Am" as a World of Warcraft achievement in 2009[5]. Players could unlock it by defeating Sinestra, the final boss of the Bastion of Twilight raid, on their first attempt without any party members dying[5]. Several Facebook groups were created around the phrase, with at least one accumulating over 28,000 likes by March 2012[5]. The image was also featured on CollegeHumor[8] and spawned merchandise on platforms like Redbubble and Zazzle, with products ranging from t-shirts to badges[9]. ## How to Use The format typically follows the classic demotivational poster layout: 1. Find a photo of someone or something looking exceptionally cool, confident, or obliviously impressive 2. Place it inside a black border with extra padding 3. Add the caption "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am" (or a shortened version) in white text beneath the image 4. The humor works best when the subject is either genuinely impressive or hilariously unaware of their own absurdity ## Cultural Impact The meme's jump from internet joke to real-world workplace tool is its most notable legacy. The Blackwater incident in 2007 marked one of the earlier cases of an internet meme being used as commentary on a deadly serious current event, with the demotivational format providing dark humor about a private military firm's controversial conduct[5]. The Nisour Square massacre itself led to criminal convictions of four Blackwater employees, though they were later pardoned by President Trump in December 2020[7]. The Edmonton police incident demonstrated how memes could function as tools of workplace protest. What might have been a simple joke in an online forum became a genuine act of organizational dissent when applied to an unpopular police chief[4]. Former constable Marko Duran, who left the force citing a hostile work environment under Boyd, told CBC that "good chiefs or good leaders of any organization, they inspire and motivate their people, and Mike Boyd certainly hasn't done that"[4]. Boyd eventually stepped down as chief effective December 31, 2010, citing personal reasons[6]. ## Fun Facts - The Five-Minute Star Trek series published condensed parodies of nearly every episode across the franchise, but this single Kirk line from "The Return of the Archons" became far more famous than any other joke on the site[1]. - "The Return of the Archons" was historically significant for introducing Star Trek's Prime Directive for the first time[2]. - Edmonton Police Chief Boyd's investigation into the poster included dusting physical copies for fingerprints, treating an internet meme printout like crime scene evidence[4]. - The World of Warcraft achievement requires a flawless raid boss kill with zero deaths, making the "awesome" boast something players actually have to earn[5]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am"? It's a catchphrase used in demotivational poster image macros, typically placed over photos of people or things that look impressively cool or absurdly confident[5]. ### Where did the phrase come from? It originated in February 2005 from a comedic Star Trek fan fiction on the website Five-Minute Star Trek, written by a contributor named Kira as a line for Captain Kirk[1]. ### What does the meme mean? The phrase is used to humorously convey extreme self-confidence, either sincerely praising someone's coolness or sarcastically mocking an inflated ego[5]. ### How do you use this meme? Place the catchphrase as a caption on a demotivational-style image of someone looking awesome, or use it as a standalone text reply to deflect criticism with exaggerated confidence[3]. ### Is the meme still popular? The phrase peaked in the late 2000s and early 2010s but is still recognized as a classic demotivational format. It lives on as a World of Warcraft achievement and in merchandise[5]. ### What Star Trek episode inspired this meme? The phrase comes from a parody of "The Return of the Archons," a 1967 first-season episode where Kirk defeats a planet-controlling computer[2]. ### What happened with the Edmonton police chief? In June 2009, a poster of Police Chief Mike Boyd with the caption was mass-emailed and posted on walls at police headquarters, prompting a formal investigation with fingerprint analysis and IT tracking[4]. ### How was the meme connected to Blackwater? After Blackwater's involvement in a fatal shooting in Baghdad in September 2007, a demotivational image with the phrase circulated among the firm's employees and soldiers stationed in the area[5]. ### Is there a World of Warcraft achievement with this name? Yes, "I Can't Hear You Over the Sound of How Awesome I Am" was added in 2009 as an achievement for defeating the boss Sinestra without any party deaths[5]. ## References 1. [Five-Minute "The Return of the Archons"]() 2. [Five-Minute Star Trek]() 3. [“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.” | Big Blog of Cheese]() 4. [I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am - Know Your Meme]() 5. [List of Google Easter eggs]() 6. [The Return of the Archons]() 7. [Mike Boyd (police officer)]() 8. [Blackwater (company) - Wikipedia]() 9. [Mike Boyd (police officer) - Wikipedia]() 10. [I'm Sorry, I Can't Hear You Over the Sound of How Awesome I Am.]() 11. [Edmonton police chief investigates rank-and-file revolt: sources | CBC News]() 12. [Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how AWESOME I am by digerati | Redbubble]() 13. [Badge Rond 2,50 Cm je suis désolé de ne pas vous entendre parler de l | Zazzle.fr]() 14. [Global News]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/im-sorry-i-cant-hear-you-over-the-sound-of-how-awesome-i-am Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library