Getting Mugged? Just Say No
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About
Getting Mugged? Just Say No, also known as Getting Robbed? Just Say No, refers to a series of phrasal template memes based on a humorous image macro that states that in case of getting robbed you can just say no to avoid the robbery as the mugger has no legal power to get you possessions. Originally posted in December 2018, the macro inspired snowclones in the following years where people altered the phrase "Getting X? Just Say No" and photoshopped the original image.
Origin
On December 2nd, 2018, Redditor[1] PM_ME_TIGER_BUTTS tweeted an image macro based on a stock image of a man getting robbed,[2] captioned, "Getting mugged? Just say no. Your robber legally cannot take any of your possessions without your consent" to /r/ShittyLifeProTips subreddit, where it gained over 21,400 upvotes in six months (stock image and macro shown below).
Spread
In the following days, the image received viral spread online through reposts on Facebook, Reddit,[3] Imgur,[4] Instagram[5] and other platforms. For example, on December 3rd, 2018, Facebook[6] page Being Libertarian reposted the image, with the post gaining over 8,700 reactions and 15,000 shares in three years.
On December 5th, 2018, an unknown Redditor[7] posted the earliest found edited version of the image, pairing it with a Rate Drops to 0 meme, with the post gaining 35 upvotes in the /r/PewdiepieSubmissions subreddit in six months (shown below, left). On April 28th, 2019, Facebook[8] page The Janglee Movement posted a version of the image captioned "Getting robbed?" instead of "Getting mugged?," citing Pakistani penal code (shown below, left). The post gained over 1,400 likes and 410 shares in three years. On April 28th, 2019, Facebook[9] page Libertarian Party of Colorado posted a cropped version of the recaptioned macro, with this version also receiving spread (shown below, right).
Starting in September 2019, the image macro has been used as a phrasal template and snowclone with "Getting X? Just Say No" and the illustration often adjusted accordingly. For example, in September 2019, a version recaptioned "Getting banned? Just say no" went viral[10][11] (author unknown; shown below, left). On September 27th, Redditor[12] matek12ash posted a history meme that gained over 6,900 upvotes in /r/HistoryMemes in six months (shown below, center). On February 27th, 2020, Redditor[13] Retro_RL posted a meme about COVID-19 that gained over 62,400 upvotes prior to being removed (shown below, right).
The format maintained notable prominence in 2021 and 2022, with multiple versions going viral on social media.
Various Examples
Templates
Search Interest
External References
[1] Reddit – SLPT : Avoid getting mugged
[2] Shutterstock – armed robbery backgound, casual man and businessman on white
[3] Reddit – This was made by the U.S gang
[4] Imgur – Robbers hate him
[5] Instagram – choppersupplyco
[6] Facebook – Being Libertarian
[7] Reddit – Swiper no swiping
[8] Facebook – The Janglee Movement
[9] Facebook – Libertarian Party of Colorado
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