Intro
The best memes from 2020 to 2025 are a masterclass in both internet absurdity and cultural zeitgeist, showing how we collectively coped, clowned, and thrived in back-to-back “what-is-happening” years. There’s something undeniably unifying about laughing hysterically at a fly landing on a politician’s head, existential cake crises, or a gorilla smackdown debate; these memes didn’t just trend—they defined the digital era. Buckle up for some memeology with witty insights and plenty of internet spice. Link: (https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/20-memes-that-got-us-through-2020/)
The Origins of Modern Meme Royalty
2020: Lockdown Laughter
2020 was a meme-factory running on existential dread and desperate optimism. Bernie Sanders’ “I am once again asking for…” meme originated from his fundraising video but soon became the template for asking for anything from emotional support to snacks. Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin from “Tiger King” became Tiger-meme fuel, with every quarantine conversation leaking into wild dramatizations.
The “Coffin Dance,” featuring dancing Ghanaian pallbearers, was strangely comforting, combining gallows humor with impossible moves—this funeral choreography came from actual videos from Ghana and exploded globally, signifying “You played yourself” or “That went surprisingly bad” moments. (Link from Reddit)
One of 2020’s most viral moments was the “Mike Pence Fly” meme, after a literal fly became the unsung hero of the Vice Presidential debate. “Everything is Cake?” became the moment of existential panic after hyper-realistic cakes created a crisis of trust; this meme traces its roots back to a viral Tasty video. Sauce
2021: Mask Off, Meme On
2021 embraced the “Red Flags” meme—red flag emojis flooded timelines as people joked (or not) about dating dealbreakers and personal quirks. The “Anakin and Padmé” meme, borrowed from a classic Star Wars scene, unexpectedly became THE format for revealing true colors during political arguments or bad takes. Sauce
The “Bus Happy Sad” meme was the mood board for navigating post-pandemic mental gymnastics; panel one shows hope, panel two shows despair—relatability at its finest. TikTok’s legendary “Sea Shanty” boom pulled a whole generation into singing 19th-century sailor songs, proving musical memes have cosmic longevity. Sauce
2022: Absurdity, Amplified
Who can forget “It’s Corn!” This meme stemmed from a simple interview with a kid who professed unconditional love for corn. It became a viral anthem of innocence amid chaos. “Elmo Breaking Point” marked 2022’s collective loss of chill—capturing that exact moment when good intentions went rogue. Sauce
“Gentleminions” saw groups of teens dressing in suits to watch “Minions: Rise of Gru,” turning movie-going into Bond-level meme missions. Wordle fever infected even grandma’s WhatsApp group with green-yellow blocks—proof that simplicity wins hearts and minds. Sauce
2023: Intrusive Thoughts and Absolute Rizz
2023 delivered the “DJ Khaled Dancing” meme—a GIF for every occasion when winning in life’s smallest victories felt unexpectedly fabulous. Indian meme culture erupted from “Just Looking Like a Wow” (thanks, Jasmeen Kaur), a viral shopkeeper’s catchphrase that hit meme escape velocity and even crossed into global pop culture. “Moye Moye”—originally a Serbian song—became TikTok’s go-to soundtrack for dramatic fail moments, morphing the internet into montage central. Sauce
The “Veggie Tales” meme, starring animated vegetables echoing relatable hot-takes, became the surprise hit of group chats everywhere. “Elvish Bhai,” Bhupendra Jogi, and “Aayein”—viral videos and catchphrases—brought new regional flair to the meme-o-sphere. Sauce
2024: Rizzler and Kamala’s Coconut Tree
“The Rizzler” arrived—with TikTok users worshipping a kid in a Black Panther suit and his mysterious, meme-worthy confidence. “Kamala Coconut” turned a Vice Presidential quip into raw meme material: nobody knows what falling out of a coconut tree means, but everybody loves to joke about it. This year, every big personality (Lebron James, Kevin James, Chick-fil-A Girl) got their own meme courtesy of TikTok remix culture. Sauce
“Aha, Tamatar” was another runaway hit in India, using everyday market lingo to create infinite punchline possibilities. “Chill Guy” memes personified the zen everyone wanted but rarely achieved—easygoing energy for all life’s unexpected plot twists. Sauce
2025: Gorillas, Eggs, and Holy Airballs
2025 could be summed up in three words: “100 Men, 1 Gorilla.” Imagining how 100 regular guys would fare against a gorilla turned into a nerd’s paradise of strategic group chats, meme science, and wild debates. The “Trump and Eggs” drama saw memes hilariously skewering economic hopes pinned on egg prices—the internet was relentless in its eggonomics meme campaign. Sauce
Duke’s March Madness loss so closely mirrored downward spiraling TV characters that memes blended sports heartbreak with “White Lotus” drama in gloriously meta fashion. “Take Me to God’s Country” used country star Morgan Wallen’s escape instincts as an emblem for everyone just checking out of drama.
The conclave to elect a new pope, oddly enough, was pure meme fodder—Brat edits, fancams, and conspiracy boards galore made for a holy meme-fest. TikTok trends like “Holy Airball” provided versatile formats for boastful reactions to everything from failed pickups to last-minute Hail Marys in sports.
Meme Humor: Buzzwords Unleashed
“Big Rizz Energy” and “Chill Guy Vibes” are the lingo of meme-savvy netizens everywhere. Meme humor now flexes with terms like “rent-free,” “gaslighting,” “ratio’d,” and “mid” to frame everything from failed plans to unexpected wins. Social media users “stan” everything—from veggies with wisdom to disaster-stricken sports teams, often with phrases that blend highbrow sarcasm and low-key existential dread.
Whether it’s dunking on political blunders (“eggonomics” is a real word now) or self-deprecating burnout memes (“Elmo Breaking Point”), the post-2020 meme era is about using sophisticated buzzwords to mask the chaos with humor. Memes can be “giga-chad,” “peak relatability,” or “so toxic”—and most of all, they’re vehicles for catharsis, solidarity, and digital community.
Final Meme Manifesto
From the original coffin dance to 2025’s gorilla debates, each meme is a mirror to social moods and digital invention. Their real power? Uniting strangers in global, multi-lingual laughter that cuts through divides—using a fly on a bald head, a dancing chef, or a single word (“Aayein!”) filmed in a classroom.
So the next time a trending meme leaves a “big sister feeling” or spawns another remix on TikTok, remember: memes aren’t just jokes. They’re culture, history, and collective therapy, all wrapped in crispy one-liners and pixelated punchlines. Sauce
Here’s to the next meme wave and the memes that keep humanity rolling—a little stranger, a lot bolder, and contagiously funnier.