Why Are Seemingly Bleak Pictures Being Captioned 'Never Kill Yourself'? An Oddly Wholesome Trend Explained

There's a lot of negativity online, which makes a meme like Never Kill Yourself read like a breath of fresh air. However, when you read that phrase, you're likely imagining it's accompanied with generic images of "success" or beautiful vistas. Instead, the recent meme looks more like this:

Here's what's going on with this oddly wholesome meme with a twist.

What Is The 'Never Kill Yourself' Meme?

The general idea behind the "Never Kill Yourself" meme is to celebrate life's small joys— sometimes infinitesimally small, but joys nevertheless. It got its start in August after Twitter user @fraxiommusic posted the phrase alongside an image of beets and cheese.

Over the following two months, the meme developed as users posted the phrase over images suggesting small joys, usually in a bleak setting. For example, one popular example by @SpicyOgre showcases a bong, video games, beer and a boatload of Zyn.

Why Is The 'Never Kill Yourself' Meme Popular?

Most of the images shared in this template are the kind that if you saw out of context, you might not think they showcase a healthy situation. They often show bleak apartments and paltry meals, hardly the sort of "life is worth living" images one normally sees on social media.

However, that seems to be part of the reason the meme is spreading. If the context of the images suggests an unhealthy lifestyle, the small joys present in the memes are arguments for keeping on, even if such joys are as small as a cigarette or a slice of pizza.

It's certainly an unusual way to spread positivity online, but it does stand in stark contrast to memes like You should kill yourself… now! and other memes that are glib about self-harm. Considering the general negativity that can dominate online discourse, perhaps the "Never Kill Yourself" meme, regardless of presentation, is worth celebrating.

For the full history of Never Kill Yourself, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.