Meme Therapy: 35+ Relatable Memes That Sarcastically Sum Up Life’s Absurdities
If we were to write a book about everything humanity has done wrong, its size would dwarf the Empire State Building. But the one thing that wouldn’t find a place there is the invention of memes. Let’s face it: memes save lives and cure depression. We have all laughed at a painfully relatable and hilarious one at some point in our lives.
Richard Dawkins is the man credited with coming up with the concept of a meme, and we sincerely thank you, Sir. This particular side of internet culture effortlessly shows how similar human lives are and makes us feel less alone. We firmly believe there is a meme for every occasion. For this listicle, we gathered Instagram’s most relatable yet sarcastic memes for your enjoyment.
Walks
“Go touch grass,” they said. “You’ll feel better,” they said. In the wise words of Tyler the creator, “So that was a lie.” Indeed, no bigger lie has been spoken since the moon landing. Going outside is overrated and not for everyone.
Whoever came up with the idea of “a walk in the park” was a liar. The last time we listened to a health expert and went to a park, we came with sunburns and bee stings. We even stepped on dog stool and were chased by a rogue duck!
Outside
Preach, @KoolAidPappi! No truer words have been spoken. If you think you can walk outside for some fresh air and come back unscathed, you are delusional. The world is overpopulated, and there is nowhere in the city where you can find a moment of quiet.
Aside from the horrors mentioned in the previous paragraph, we also bumped shoulders with too many people and got stepped on. It’s almost as if half of the city had gathered in the park that day! Even worse is how impossible it is not to spend money when you go outside.
Judging
Yes. Yes, you do. God knows that, and now even your dog knows. You can evade the eyes of everyone in the world. However, God and your faithful furry best friend always have their eyes on you. And one is constantly judging you!
Don’t get us wrong; we don’t judge if you pull this tactic in your dating life. That’s you. However, think twice before lying in the presence of your dog. Or else, you might also receive this bombastic, criminal offensive side-eye!
Sleep
A pained sigh left our body when we saw this meme. We would prefer not to Jake Paul. However, can’t help it, “It’s every day, bro.” Every night, we make the same mistake again and again, yet we never learn our lesson.
Trust us when we say that we tried every trick in the book. We counted sheep, threw the phone in the next room, and set a lock timer on it. Nothing worked. When we finally started feeling sleepy, the birds had already started chirping!
Mood
We do not care if this child is a paid actor or not because they are the most relatable soul we have met in a while. This poor kid left the womb only a short while ago, but they already seem like they’re done with the world.
Same, kid, same. Some of us have already accepted that we will die from some kind of disease due to eating poorly and not exercising. You can try to be consistent and care for your body, but sometimes, lazing around and doing nothing is too tempting.
Crazy
You know what? It happens. All we can say is we have been there. Sometimes, when you like someone, rationality flies out of the window, and the ugliness in us rears its head. That’s just a perk of being human.
This is also the reality of being in a situationship. It’s also why you should avoid getting into a relationship without confirming where you stand. If you are in an ambiguous situation, know that one of you is destined to lose their cool.
Hell
Dark humor is one of the most valuable disciplines you can master. Not everyone gets it, but that doesn’t take away from its value. Knowing how to crack jokes out of a grim situation is a talent, not a flaw. However, not everyone feels that way.
We learned this fact the hard way. Too many awkward situations were created because the people around us didn’t find our sense of humor appropriate. What is even harder is finding someone with a twisted sense of humor like yourself. It’s comforting to know you won’t be in hell alone!
Pregame
In the first texter’s defense, kids can be exceptionally annoying. We finally understand why half of the parents in the world have a reputation for alcohol abuse (not that we condone it). If you are capable of bringing a child into the world, you should be responsible enough to care for them.
People who choose to be child-free kind of get this person. This is not just a birthday party. It is a gathering of children who are in their terrible twos! Dealing with them sober is not something the average man can do.
Slow
They say that slow and steady wins the race. Aesop was a lucky man. He did not have the misfortune of experiencing the agony of slow and bumpy internet. He would have reassessed writing the fable of the hare and the tortoise if he lived in the 21st century.
Slow internet is likely the most annoying thing after people who leave doors open and those who accuse you of liking ‘TikTok songs’ even though you liked the songs way before they became viral. Struggling with a slow internet connection also made us realize we are not built for meditation.
Money 5
The bad side of humans having a nose comes with the perks of smelling stenches and having the tendency to shove the said organ into other people’s business. Giving unsolicited advice seems to be the norm these days. People are eager to force their beliefs on you, especially when they see you spending.
We will admit coffee isn’t the best beverage. Nor is it good for your health. However, it makes us less miserable, and that’s all that matters. So, if you just can’t resist purchasing lattes every day, then have at it!
Dentist
We met some freaks of nature who claim that trips to dentists are therapeutic. These people apparently enjoy the sensation of being immobile on a chair while the dentist tinkers with their innards using scary tools. Meanwhile, we are constantly scared that the dentist’s hands might slip and they’ll end up drilling through our esophagus!
While we can’t relate to these oddballs, at a certain age, everyone unanimously avoids visits to the doctor unless it’s a life-or-death situation. If you live in the States, you already know how abysmally expensive healthcare is. We have seen people walk around with rotten teeth because they couldn’t afford a consultation.
Ringtone
Pick your jaw off the floor. Yes, there was indeed a time when we paid for ringtones. Don’t judge us. We all know you pay hundreds of dollars for skins for gaming. Back when we were kids, we couldn’t download songs from the internet.
Nor could we edit the song and extract the best part. Hence, we paid companies who supplied us with ringtones of popular songs. It was a way to express how cool and trendy you were. However, nothing irks us more these days than someone calling us.
Procrastinate
You could strip us naked in the middle of the street, and we would still feel less exposed. This Twitter user called us out in the most accurate way possible, and we have no defense. We are indeed guilty of procrastinating.
Someone once told us that had we not been so lazy, we would have been the next Jeff Bezos. No, thank you. We prefer having hair on our heads! Jokes aside, this is painfully relatable. Everyone has that one chair of shame where we keep piling clothes after the laundry basket is full.
Sadness
Same, Josh. Same. This man woke up and chose honesty, and we love to see it. Sadness is a key human emotion, and it is unavoidable. But what’s even sadder is that many of us do not have the outlet to express our sorrows.
Hence, we are unfamiliar with these impromptu trauma-dumping sessions. To be fair, the dentist didn’t specify. Josh did only what he was asked to do. He’s doing better than our friend Trevor, though. Poor Trevor once tore a bill in half because the customers asked him to split the bill!
Time
Time and tide wait for none. This is another thing we tend to learn late. The older you get, the more this cruel realization dawns on you. No one is being dramatic when they tell you that time passes by in the blink of an eye.
This is why we should make the most out of our present and do our best. People who were born in the 2000s still have a hard time believing so much time has passed. There’s even a running joke that kids born after 1999 are just robots, and they are not real!
Chaos 103
Kevin O’Leary claims that those who quit are losers. However, we think that no one should listen to him. This man has a net worth of $4.2 billion and is a capitalist through and through. Going beyond your means only profits the company, not you.
Hence, we support the new culture of quiet quitting. This will force corporations to rethink their medieval ways and adapt to the new work culture. Hence, do not let your workplace exploit you. If your shift is over, leave guilt-free.
Hinge
Jake, if you are seeing this, please listen to our lord (lady) and savior Knowles Beyonce and “put a ring on it” ASAP! Our experience with dating apps so far has been subpar. We didn’t click with any of the matches romantically.
We did make some good friends, though. However, this brother struck gold in Hinge. We totally understand where Melissa is coming from. You should not mix business with pleasure. However, that does not mean you should let go of pleasure for work.
Old
Being young and beautiful like Lana Del Rey sounds good and all (just kidding. Life is still miserable). However, there are days when we want to be a leisurely, rich old lady who is past her prime but still living her best life.
There is something beautiful about overcoming all the hassles of life and retiring after growing old. Sometimes, we look at our wrinkly old grandmas and feel a surge of envy. Oh, how we wish we were in our sweet seventies.
Cancel
We have no idea how extroverts do it. As an introvert, these people are a mysterious specimen that baffles us. How they have the energy to deal with people is something we will never understand. Sometimes, we say two words to someone and immediately feel the urge to take a nap!
People are exhausting. However, there is also a need for socializing despite how reclusive one might be. Hence, we often have to say yes when someone makes a plan. So don’t be sorry after canceling on an introvert. They probably leaped with joy after seeing your text!
Black 63
Nothing can beat the color black. It is timeless. There is an elegance about it that no other shade can imitate. Therefore, those who like the color often swear by it, and half of their closet consists of black outfits.
We may or may not be one of those people. Amy Winehouse was right when she talked about going back to black. Yes, even during summer, black is a must. In our universe, we believe in Lana Del Rey and summertime sadness.
Doggo
Dogs have always been said to be man’s best friend. These furry critters tear holes into your shoes, pee in random places, and give you puppy dog eyes when you are having late-night dinner. Yet, we still cannot get enough of this adorable specimen.
Birth is a curse, and existence is a prison. However, thanks to dogs, life is a lot less miserable. However, these cuties are illiterate. Despite being your best friend, you cannot share memes with them even though they would relate to them.
Stoppers
Socializing is not for everyone, and if you’re like us, you know where you belong in this fight. Usually, we are fine as long as we find a quiet corner in the party and find a like-minded person. Small talk drives us mad.
Someone please normalize conversation stoppers. No, Tabitha. We do not care for your stupid silverware or your trip to the Bahamas. At this point, we contemplate ending small talk by bringing up things like colonoscopy and bowel movements or fake luring someone into a cult!
Animal
Our rule of thumb is to avoid people who do not immediately go gaga over animals at first sight. So far, it hasn’t failed us. We simply refuse to trust you if your voice does not get high-pitched when you see an animal.
By now, you probably have an understanding of our extremely introverted personality. We enter a fight or flight mode when we encounter another human. Our first instinct is to run for the hills and never come back when someone initiates a small talk.
Podcast
We are grateful for the fact that people sometimes trust us with their emotions and come to us for solace. However, you should also know that if the quote “this could have been an email” was a person, it would be a couple of people in your life.
Apologies, guys. Sadly, some people don’t have the patience nor the time to listen to your voice recording, where you are scrambling to articulate yourself for five minutes. Just write everything down and send it. They will get back to you in 7 to 30 business days!
RPG
Something tells us that Quinn from Twitter (we refuse to call the bird app by its new name. Elon can throw all the tantrums he wants. It will always be Twitter to us) has what kids these days call “rizz.”
Whether this was in an RPG game or not, we all know which of these two is the wise option. One of them will end with you married with two kids and a dog. The other one ends with you dropping dead in a ditch.
Tired
We will never understand why some people claim that life is a party. If they are indeed right, then we must be the pinata. Every day, we thank the Lord for blessing us with our cat. If it weren’t for her, life would suck even more.
In this day and age, it is impossible not to feel burnout. Even the most positive and extroverted person can be worn down by this ride called life. Hence, we always recommend taking breaks to heal your mental health. We also highly recommend pets.
Story
The internet has simultaneously brought out the best and the worst out of all of us. Even the most anti-social individuals you will ever meet are not immune to the influence of social media. They, too, post stories when they feel like it.
When most of us do that, we constantly open the app and rewatch the story over and over. We do not know if we like the validation of others or whether we are mesmerized by our faces. Either way, it’s comforting to know we are not the only ones who do this.
20s
We have all heard about the terrible twos. However, have you heard about the terrible twenties? Well, now you have. If you are in your teens, we hate to tell you this, but it gets worse from this point on.
Terrible twos are all about making the people around you miserable. However, terrible twenties are all about making yourself miserable. When you are in your twenties, you will feel like a child who has been entrusted with adult duties. And trust us, being an adult is not as fun as you think.
Password
It is comforting to know that we are not the only morons who go through this. We can’t really explain what really happens when we are typing passwords. We just go blank for a moment, and boom! Suddenly, we can’t remember the password we’ve been using for years!
We have a suspicion that someone from Google is already sick of our nonsense and contemplating booting us off the internet. Thank the lord for the invention of fingerprint scanners and facial recognition. We’d be in deep waters had it not been for these features.
Trust
If you do not have trust issues in 2023, you are either a saint or a fool (or both). Postmodern culture is about mistrust and questioning the grand narratives of life. Honestly, we cannot blame people for being so distrustful.
There are more snakes in the city than there are in the wild. If you have not yet been backstabbed, you are quite possibly the luckiest person in the world. Or, you are probably the one who is backstabbing people.
20 Years
You know that Sasuke Uchiha meme of him resting his chin on his hands in the strangest art style ever? That’s how we feel whenever we think about time. For our own sanity, we like to avoid conversations about time and space.
As someone who was born before the Y2K, it is unfathomable for us how fast time passes. Although we know that time flies, it still catches us off guard. It’s worse when you meet someone you last saw as a kid and see just how much older they are.
Children
Never have we ever felt so heard and connected. We are so glad to know that we are not the only ones who have felt this way. Despite being adults, so many people are still in the process of figuring out what they want to do with their lives.
However, it seems people like us are in the minority. It feels as if everyone else around us is getting hitched, having kids, and buying new houses. Meanwhile, we are struggling to decide whether we want to eat pasta or pad thai for dinner.
Money
Being introduced to the YOLO lifestyle is one of the worst things that ever happened to us. The only thing that can rival it is meeting the jerk who convinced us to invest in crypto. Joey, if you are seeing this, know that we’ll find you one day.
Just like Joey, the urge to spend money can run from us; however, it can never hide. Some people are meant to be poor. Had we been born in a wealthy home, we would probably have driven our family to bankruptcy.
Call
Yeah, that was a lie. Just like Gojo Satoru, who claimed to be the strongest sorcerer, some people also like to bluff and say that they will be there if you need it. Trust us, sometimes it’s for your own good that they did not pick up the phone.
They probably don’t have the emotional intelligence to comprehend why you chose to stay with your crackhead boyfriend who cheated on you. Had they picked up that call, they would have made you more upset. Just make better life choices from now on.
Soulmate
The older we get, the less we believe in the myth of soulmates. Trust us, we tried our best. However, time eventually shattered our naivety. Yet sometimes, we still feel like an ignorant child who does not understand the world.
How come Stacy from high school stayed strong with Joshua for all those years? At this point, we are starting to lean into the prospect of becoming a cat lady in the future. Whenever someone asks about our love life, we just sing Iamnotshane’s “Maybe My Soulmate Died.”
Overthinking
It is unfortunate that there is no option for reporting memes. We had the overwhelming urge to click the “I am in this picture, and I do not like it” option. We have never felt so called out in our lives.
We spend way too many sleepless nights contemplating our past regrets. We thought we were pretty apathetic towards worldly plights. As it turns out, we are not. Guys, we know it probably means nothing, but try not to fry your brain.
Love
Our toxic trait is believing that one day, someone will find us and love us for who we are. Hence, we do not have to go out of our way to look for love. However, as it turns out, you actually have to put in effort to find love.
The universe does not love us enough to lend us a hand and bring our supposed soulmate to us. Trust us; no one will find you if you stay in your bedroom (unless they break into your home. And that’s probably a felon).
Car
Being a woman is hard. Thankfully, the efforts of our predecessors have made it easier for us to live a better life. They fought hard for their rights, so we always aspire to be stronger. That said, feminism flies out of our bodies whenever our car has a problem.
In our defense, cars are quite a convenient thing to own, so we didn’t think twice about the purchase. Sadly, there is no way to girlboss, gatekeeper, and gaslight out of car problems. Hence, once again, we are back to being a damsel in distress.
Flirt
If you reached this point of the listicle, you already know that we have not had much luck with romance. We prefer to blame it all on Cupid shooting arrows in the wrong direction. However, we are not that blameless either.
How on earth are you supposed to flirt and advance with a relationship when our replies are so dry? The fact that we have not made enemies yet is actually a miracle. We hate to sound so pessimistic, but we are probably going to die alone.
Sloth
Bill Gates once said that he only hires lazy people because they somehow find a quick and easy way to solve the problem. However, we do not see any acceptance letter from Microsoft in our mailbox. This is absolutely outrageous.
If being lazy is a skill, then no one is more skillful than us. If the vice of sloth had an embodiment, it would be us. Had there been a competition for sleeping, we would have held a Guinness world record by now.
Friends
This is why people have trust issues, and we are part of the problem. It suffices that the Taylor Swift song that we relate to the most is “Anti-hero.” She was right when she sang, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.”
When we first meet people, we only show them the best versions of ourselves. Once they get comfortable, we start showing them our true colors. They soon realize that they had been scammed into a friendship and that they are stuck with us.
Zero Post
This is us, and honestly, these kinds of people are the best humans you will ever meet. It may be narcissistic for us to say that, but it is true. Silent netizens are said to be more laid-back and rational individuals.
They care little for external validation and prefer to observe what is happening around them. We like being friends with these kinds of people, and we recommend you do too. However, there is a chance these kinds of empty accounts might also be scammers. Therefore, please proceed with caution.
Patience
There was a time when we envied the physique of Barbies and Kens. As kids, we hoped to grow up to be as beautiful and glamorous as them. However, as adults, we aspire to be like Po, the fat panda from Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda trilogy.
Other than the enviable plush body, Po also achieved inner peace. We are not exaggerating when we say we’d be willing to kill for some inner peace. Our theme song is currently Imagine Dragons’ “Bones”. When the frontman sang about their patience waning, we felt that in our souls.
Disappear 83
If ghosting was an art, some people would be the Vincent Van Gogh of ghosting. Sorry, but it’s true. Some people simply do not have the patience to type and send you a text. Yes, that makes them jerks, but it is what it is.
There will be an interval of at least six months between each text. If you want us as a friend, you will have to accept these conditions (no wonder we do not have any friends). This is why our pronouns are Who/where.
Adulting 75
There are many unfortunate morons in the world who claim that F.R.I.E.N.D.S is not funny. We vehemently disagree with that statement. F.R.I.E.N.D.S is a timeless classic, and you have to admit it’s the best sitcom if you want to be in our inner circle.
The most unbelievable part about the show is how much free time the six protagonists have. Have you ever met a New Yorker? They are always busy. We cannot blame them. New York is expensive, and you have to work hard to afford living in the city. Real adults plan hangouts months in advance.