# Same Energy > Same Energy is a 2018 image-comparison meme that places two visually unrelated images side by side to highlight their shared vibe or aura. "Same Energy" is an internet slang term and meme format where two visually unrelated images are placed side by side to highlight their shared vibe, aura, or emotional tone. The phrase took off on Twitter in mid-June 2018, roughly alongside the "Big Dick Energy" trend, and quickly spread to K-Pop stan communities, anime subreddits, and mainstream social media. It gave people a fuzzy but effective way to classify and connect the endless stream of internet content without relying on hard data or metrics. ## Origin The exact starting point of "Same Energy" is unclear, but the phrase started appearing on Twitter in mid-June 2018[2]. This timing lines up with the explosion of "Big Dick Energy," another vibe-based slang term that swept social media around the same period. One of the earliest known tweets using the phrase came from Twitter user @blackfire5561 on June 18, 2018[2]. Like "Big Dick Energy," "Same Energy" isn't meant literally. It describes an emotion or impression sparked by the chosen images rather than any measurable quality[2]. The phrase tapped into something people already did online, comparing unrelated images for comedic effect, but gave it a clean, repeatable label. - **Platform:** Twitter - **Creator:** @blackfire5561 (earliest known tweet) - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The "Same Energy" format works on a simple premise: put two pictures next to each other and declare they give off identical vibes. The images don't need to depict the same subject. A toddler mid-tantrum might share "same energy" with a screaming cat. A celebrity red carpet pose might match a cartoon character's stance. The comparison isn't literal. It's about an unspoken quality, a shared emotional frequency that's hard to articulate but immediately obvious once someone points it out[1]. The phrase functions as a modern descendant of the "Totally Looks Like" meme format, but with a key difference. Where "Totally Looks Like" focused on physical resemblance, "Same Energy" is about something more abstract. Two things don't need to look alike at all. They just need to feel alike[2]. ## How It Spread Within weeks of the first tweets, "Same Energy" posts were everywhere. A July 29, 2018 post by @sarahmcgbeauty comparing a little girl and a dog pulled in over 380 retweets and 1,800 likes[2]. By October 2018, @Ohlalalisa_m's same energy comparison earned over 470 retweets and 680 likes[2]. K-Pop fans on Twitter adopted the format heavily. Posts from users like @lxlisas (580+ retweets, 1,100 likes) and @Oppar_yah_chan (1,000+ retweets, 2,100 likes) applied the meme to idol comparisons[2]. The anime community on Reddit's r/animemes also ran with it, with posts regularly clearing 3,600 to 4,100 upvotes[2]. The Daily Dot covered the trend as it gained mainstream traction[2]. By May 2019, New York Magazine published an analysis arguing that "Same Energy" represented a shift in how people process the internet[1]. The piece framed the meme as part of a broader move away from metrics-driven thinking (follower counts, view numbers, upvotes) toward something more intuitive and feeling-based[1]. ## How to Use The format is dead simple. Find two images that give off the same vibe, place them side by side (or in a thread), and caption with "same energy." That's it. Common approaches: 1. **Celebrity to animal:** Match a famous person's expression or pose to an animal doing something visually similar. 2. **Fiction to reality:** Pair a cartoon or anime character with a real-world photo that captures the same mood. 3. **Cross-genre:** Compare images from completely different contexts, like a renaissance painting and a basketball player mid-dunk, that share an emotional tone. ## Cultural Impact New York Magazine's 2019 essay positioned "Same Energy" as more than just a funny format. Writer Brian Feldman argued it reflected how people actually experience the internet: not as a searchable database of facts but as a constant stream of content that people organize by feeling rather than numbers[1]. The piece drew connections between "Same Energy" and other vibe-based internet systems like astrology memes and "cursed images." All three, the essay argued, help turn hard-to-articulate impressions into shared sorting systems[1]. In an internet where metrics are inflated by bots and algorithms are black boxes, "Same Energy" offers a way to connect disparate pieces of content through something numbers can't capture[1]. The format also benefited from its simplicity and low barrier to entry. Unlike memes that require specific templates or editing skills, anyone can make a "Same Energy" post with two screenshots and a caption. ## Fun Facts - The phrase gained traction at almost exactly the same time as "Big Dick Energy," suggesting mid-2018 was a peak moment for vibe-based internet slang[2]. - K-Pop stan Twitter was one of the biggest early amplifiers of the format, using it to compare idols to animals, cartoons, and each other[2]. - New York Magazine compared the meme's logic to astrology: you don't have to literally believe in "energies" to participate in the system[1]. - Reddit's r/animemes became a major hub for the format, with anime-to-real-life comparisons regularly hitting thousands of upvotes[2]. - The meme helped popularize a classification style that prioritizes feeling over data, part of a broader cultural shift away from metrics-driven internet engagement[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Same Energy? "Same Energy" is an internet meme format and slang term where two images are compared to highlight that they give off an identical vibe or emotional tone, even if the subjects are completely unrelated[1][2]. ### Where did Same Energy come from? The phrase started gaining traction on Twitter in mid-June 2018, with one of the earliest known uses posted by @blackfire5561 on June 18, 2018[2]. ### What does Same Energy mean? It means two things share the same abstract feeling, mood, or aura. It's not about physical similarity but about an unspoken emotional quality that connects them[1]. In a different context, "keep that same energy" means don't change your attitude when things shift[3]. ### How do you use Same Energy? Place two images side by side (or in a thread) and caption them with "same energy." The images should be visually different but emotionally similar. The bigger the surface-level gap between them, the better the joke[2]. ### Is Same Energy still popular? The format is still widely used across Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok. Its simplicity and adaptability mean it works with virtually any trending topic or viral image. ### Why did Same Energy get popular at the same time as Big Dick Energy? Both phrases emerged in mid-June 2018 and share a similar logic: describing intangible qualities or vibes rather than concrete, measurable traits[2]. ### What's the difference between Same Energy and Totally Looks Like? "Totally Looks Like" focused on physical resemblance between two subjects. "Same Energy" is about shared mood or emotional tone, even when the subjects look nothing alike[2]. ### Which communities use Same Energy the most? K-Pop fans on Twitter and the anime community on Reddit's r/animemes were among the earliest and most active adopters of the format[2]. ### Is Same Energy the same as Keep That Same Energy? Not exactly. The meme format compares two images for shared vibes. "Keep that same energy" is a standalone phrase used to call someone out for changing their attitude[3]. ### Why does Same Energy work as a meme? According to New York Magazine, it fills a gap left by meaningless internet metrics. In a world where follower counts and view numbers don't tell you much, "Same Energy" offers a feeling-based way to connect and organize content[1]. ## References 1. [The Unifying Energy of the ‘Same Energy’ Meme]() 2. [Same Energy - Know Your Meme]() 3. [6-7 meme]() 4. [Same Energy - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/same-energy Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library