It is difficult to keep your mind focused and away from the vicious distractions of the internet. A lot of memes have tried to replicate this feeling, but the "Monk Temptation" painting is still one of the best representations so far.

This meme features a monk in deep prayer, eyes closed, head tilted toward the heavens, while a seductive figure lurks in the background, doing her best to distract him.

So, how did a painting inspired by the poetry of French writer Jean de La Fontaine become a hilariously relatable object-labeling meme? Here's the story.

What Is The 'Monk Temptation' Meme?

The Monk Temptation meme, also known as "Me Trying to Live a Normal Productive Life," showcases a painting of a monk devoutly praying, his eyes closed and head raised, while a provocative woman attempts to entice him in the background.

The painting originates from comic artist Milo Manara, released in 2011 as part of a series based on Jean de La Fontaine's poetry.

When Did 'Monk Temptation' Memes First Appear Online?

The usage of the monk temptation painting as an image macro and exploitable began in March 2017 when the image was used on Reddit and Imgur with a humorous caption about trying to stay virtuous but being tempted, reading, "When you tryna be a child of God but she nasty and impure and keeps teasing you tryna lure you into her trap."

How Is The 'Me Trying to Live a Normal Productive Life' Meme Used Online?

Even after more than seven years since the first netizen uploaded a Monk Temptation meme, the painting remains fairly popular on social media as a versatile exploitable for expressing inner conflict or distraction regarding productivity.

For example, in November 2024, X owner Elon Musk tweeted a version of the Monk Temptation meme with a Bitcoin logo over the seductive woman, which subsequently sparked interest and further spread of the format shortly after.

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For the full history of the Monk Temptation meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.