What Is The 'Leaning Forward In Chair Diagram' Meme, And Why Did Roaring Kitty Post It?

Leaning forward, eyes fixed, hands at the ready: ideally, this is your posture as you read this right now, and your posture as you look at memes in general. The "leaning forward in chair diagram" meme represents this mood of intense focus, and is one of the most versatile in any poster's repertoire. What we are hearing and seeing on the screen is important. It's time to lock in. Let's explain why and how.

Where Does 'Leaning Forward In Chair' Diagram Come From?

The meme started its life as an advertisement posted to Twitter by Playstation France. Likely an attempt to interact with gamer culture, the ad was labeled "when things become serious," and showed a gamer leaning into the screen and clutching his controller with renewed concentration.

From there, the diagram saw spread in online communities across Reddit and Twitter devoted to video games. It appeared to expand into sports game fandoms and then into general usage as a meme depicting somebody focusing on a situation due to a new development, or becoming interested in a topic after learning new information.

What Does 'Leaning Forward In Chair' Diagram Mean?

The meme can be used a little bit like a plus-sized emoji, representing a person who is locked in and focused on a task. There's something about the steadfast determination of the man, and the matter-of-fact vibe of a diagram (a similar vibe to the many WikiHow illustration-based or other diagram-centric memes that exist).

In general, the meme indicates enthusiasm and focus, two things which are broadly relevant to many online.

Why Did Roaring Kitty Post 'Leaning Forward In Chair Diagram'?

Roaring Kitty, the famed ringleader of the WallStreetBets GameStop Short Squeeze marked his return to posting after three years of monk-like digital silence with a Leaning Forward In Chair Diagram meme. The meme was posted without any further explanation or caption, leading many to wonder what, exactly, Roaring Kitty (also known as Keith Gill) was cooking.

Since the Leaning Forward In Chair Diagram meme generally indicates focus and enthusiasm, it can be assumed that Roaring Kitty has started paying attention to something. It may be another stock, or it may be his posting and streaming career in general.

Some thought the meme meant Roaring Kitty was doubling down on GameStop again, which led the price of the famed meme stock to launch for the moon. One mystery, however: why are the chair and arrow in Roaring Kitty's version of the meme red instead of the conventional blue? Could it be a code? Could it be a reference to a company that has red letters in its logo and branding, such as… GameStop?

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For the full history of "leaning forward in chair diagram," be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry on the topic.