About

Things To Say is a series of ironic hustle culture memes that list things you should say to a given person, such as a teacher, friend or spouse's parents, to impress them, the advice often being intentionally bad (similar to the Advice Dog meme).

The format first appeared on TikTok in late August 2026 and was popularized by user @cawkringinvestor. It was further popularized on TikTok and Instagram Reels later that month through early September 2026. The format is comparable to the Rare Fish Investment memes.

Origin

On August 17th, 2026, TikToker^[1] @cawkringinvestor posted a meme that ironically lists things that you should say to your partner after having intercourse. The list is titled "Things to say after cracking" ("cracking" being slang for sex). The post gained over 1.7 million views in a month.

Spread

The meme spread over the following weeks, becoming notably popularized in late August through early September 2026.

On August 30th, 2026, TikToker^[2] @therealuncle1 posted a version of the meme about the things to say when meeting your partner's dad, using an image of Matthew McConaughey next to the list of things to say, garnering over 1.1 million views in a week.

On August 31st, TikToker^[3] @richhomiethugger2867 posted a version of the meme about the things you should say in a job interview, garnering over 2.2 million views in a week.

On September 2nd, Instagram^[4] user jack_sonsm48 posted a version of the meme that gained over 58,700 likes in a week.

On September 5th, 2026, Instagram^[5] user _thebayharborbutcher posted a version of the meme that features an image of actor Hugh Laurie as House M.D., garnering over 69,000 likes in four days.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References