![Mental Gymnastics (Cartoon) Mental Gymnastics (Cartoon)](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/036/439/cover1.jpg)
Mental Gymnastics (Cartoon)
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About
Mental Gymnastics refers to an exploitable counter-signal meme comparing two groups of people partaking in opposing interests. The format compares the groups' logic behind their preferences, with one group's reasoning being a simple one-step process and the other performing complex "mental gymnastics" to prove their point.
Origin
On December 11th, 2016, Facebook[1] page Vegan Sidekick posted a cartoon which compared two people explaining their position on veganism. In the first, a person provides a simple reasoning for their choice, while the other providing five elaborate reasons, with the illustration depicting them performing complex "mental gymnastics."
![Vegan Mental Gymnastics I love animals Vegan Mental Gymnastics I care about animals so I avoid harming them. Non-vegan Mental Gymnastics top of the food chain, look at my Ocanine But killing them is totally legit right I did them a favour by breeding them and then killing them 16 www.vegansidekick.com and plants have feelings anyway](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/688/041/d0d.jpg)
Spread
On January 15th, 2018, an anonymous 4chan[2] user posted the earliest found edit of the cartoon in thread on the /v/ board, compared with different approaches towards selecting their in-game gender (shown below, left).
In the same thread,[3] another user responded with a reversed version of the meme (shown below, right).
![Mental gymnastics done by people who play as female characters NORMAL PEOPLE MENTAL GYMNASTICS I roleplay as my own sex to immerse myselif. GENDER SWAPPING MENTAL GYMNASTICS but female avatars usually have better fashion options you'te SUPPOSED to take on somebody else's role, so naturally I take on the role of a kawaii teenage cheerleader I don't want to stare at a man's ass all day I do it to stick it to the SJWs I don't have gender dysphoria](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/398/552/3a2.png)
![Gender Swapping Mental Gymnastics #2 GENDER SWAPPING MENTAL GYMNASTICS I roleplay as a girl because I like girls. NORMAL PEOPLE MENTAL GYMNASTICS mind you, this doesn't mean that I'm As a proof, I don't look insecure about my sexuality or anything... at my own avatar when I play, I look at the others' ones... it's just that I don't like feeling as one; it just means I want immersion when I It's not that play my games. I don't like girls,](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/010/448/7f0.jpg)
In the following years, both images received multiple reposts in /v/ and on other 4chan boards. Prior to June 24th, 2019, an anonymous 4chan[4] user posted the earliest derivative meme based on the format (shown below).
![mental gymnastics NORMAL PEOPLE MENTAL GYMNASTICS A p-------- is someone sexually attracted to children, so being sexually attracted to children is p--------- Lolicon MENTAL GYMNASTICS It's just a drawing of a kid having sex, Looney Tunes shows pain and not a real kid having sex, so it's not stuff, so why isn't it considerd Nobody is getting ir hurt so it's not p--------- p--------- a snuff film what's next, banning r---/i----- p---? She's a 300yo dragon](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/489/536/52b.png)
On November 24th, 2020, Redditor[5] caterpillerman posted a Santa Deniers meme based on the format that gained over 2,900 upvotes in three months (shown below). A same-day repost by Twitter[6] user @Anna1312__received over 13,400 retweets and 87,700 likes in the same period.
![Santa Denier Mental Gymnastics Santa believer mental gymnastics Santa brings everyone their presents on Christmas night with his magic Santa denier mental gymnastics Regular people just buy and wrap ALLL these Christmas presents But also literally all parents are part of the same conspiracy to make their children behave Santa at the mall is just an imposter in disguise He's made up by corporations to sell Christmas stuff The cookies just happen to be eaten next day](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
Following the viral spread of the Santa Deniers version, the format saw a surge of popularity online, with multiple viral instances of the format being posted on Instagram and Twitter in the following months.
Various Examples
![My Mental Gymnastics](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/010/457/4f8.jpg)
![Godzilla Fan Mental Gymnastics](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/010/458/b39.jpg)
![Vegeta Is Better Mental Gymnastics "Vegeta is better" Mental Gymnastics "badass kills" "anatomy of an antihero" video compilation better father video essay character arc "Goku is better" Mental Gymnastics friendly](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/010/461/ec8.jpg)
Template
![Mental Gymnastics Meme Template MENTAL GYMNASTICS MENTAL GYMNASTICS](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/010/805/f2b.jpg)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Facebook – Vegan Sidekick
[2] 4chan – /v/ Post #403505090
[3] 4chan – /v/ Post #403519461
[4] 4chan – /v/ Post #467764436
[6] Twitter – @Anna1312__
Recent Videos
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Top Comments
mandrac
Feb 03, 2021 at 06:37PM EST
Platurt
Feb 06, 2021 at 09:12AM EST