never kill yourself meme explained

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:

Grug @GRUGCEL NEVER KILL YOURSELF 9:12 PM Sep 17, 2024 148.7K Views Suber 1844 Pabst e Ribbon BEER 16


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.

Garret @Grrted Never kill yourself 3:55 PM - Aug 1, 2024 -4,371 Views Subscribe

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.

Ava @SpicyOgre Never kill yourself. Current Stage Normal Combatants C. Falcon Time 02 09 69 Modelo M Mos ZYN . 1:38 AM · Sep 17, 2024 97.3K Views ZYN OVERWORLD MISSING F 6 ZYN ZYN.COM 6 ZYN

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.

Grug @GRUGCEL NEVER KILL YOURSELF 000 Modelo Expand Model 9:43 PM - Sep 14, 2024 -12.4K Views VENTORY PLAY 100 € лос STORE NEWS FERNO D Ofice GO

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.




+ Add a Comment

Comments (0)

There are no comments currently available.

Display Comments

Add a Comment


Hello! You must login or signup first!