The NPC Meme features low-quality or placeholder character models from video games, typically NPCs (non-player characters) from older or indie games with limited animation and expression. The meme applies these game characters to represent people, suggesting they are unintelligent, following predetermined scripts, or unable to think independently. The comparison to video game NPCs was deliberate, NPCs are designed to perform limited functions and follow programmed behaviors. By applying this to people, the meme suggested those people were similarly limited and programmed. This made the meme an efficient tool for dismissing opposing viewpoints without engaging with them. What made the NPC Meme controversial was its explicit dehumanization. Unlike memes that mock behavior or perspectives, NPC Meme questions whether the targeted individuals were fully human or autonomous beings. This went beyond typical criticism to suggest fundamental lack of personhood.

The NPC Meme originated in internet circles discussing politics, ideology, and cultural issues. It was used primarily by communities wanting to mock what they perceived as conformist thinking or mainstream viewpoints. The video game NPC metaphor allowed for efficient communication of the concept, anyone familiar with video games understood what NPCs are and what the comparison implied. The meme's emergence in 2018 coincided with increasing political polarization and cultural conflict online. Different communities were increasingly talking past each other, and the NPC Meme represented a response to perceived mindless conformity. However, its use became increasingly partisan, with different sides using it against each other. The meme remained controversial throughout its existence, with many communities and platforms discouraging or limiting its use. Some critics argued the meme represented dehumanization, while supporters argued it was valid criticism of thoughtlessness.

The NPC Meme is typically used to mock people perceived as thinking uncritically or following mainstream viewpoints. The image of a low-quality video game character paired with text suggesting scripted thinking communicates the criticism. Effective usage presents opposing viewpoints as not genuinely independent thoughts but as programmed responses. The meme can be used for humor about conformity or as serious criticism of what users perceive as intellectually lazy thinking. The dehumanizing implication is always present, making it a harsh critical tool.