Big brain memes have carved out a unique niche in internet culture, offering a blend of humor, sarcasm, and pseudo-intellectual commentary. These memes, typically characterized by exaggerated depictions of human brains, range from celebrating intellectual feats to mocking illogical or absurd thoughts.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular big brain memes.
The Galaxy Brain meme
The origins of the Galaxy Brain meme, a standout in the big brain meme family, can be traced to a Reddit post from 2017. The meme started as a satirical take on grammar snobbery, with early versions mocking people that use “whom” instead of “who.” The meme format quickly caught on due to its versatility, with users to applying it in various other contexts.
The Galaxy Brain meme is remarkably adaptable. It has been used to comment on a varied range of subjects, from everyday observations, to complex political and philosophical discussions. This flexibility contributed to its popularity and ensured its longevity in the rapidly changing world of internet memes.
Speaking of memes, I’m told that the galaxy brain meme is for boomers now, but here you have it, folks, the ideological history of the movement: pic.twitter.com/evueVv7h8c
— marginalutilite (@marginalutilite) December 19, 2019
As the meme evolved, these images of cosmic brains began to symbolize intellectual superiority, irony, and satire. They soon also became a visual metaphor for overthinking simple matters, effectively turning the meme on its head.
‘Yeah, this is big brain time’
This version features an enlarged head of YouTuber Markipiler, with the caption, “Yeah, it’s big brain time.” The meme’s relatability propelled it to widespread popularity, and was used in reference to either ver stupid or very intelligent decisions.
@markiplier.._editz TAKING SUGGESTIONS FOR PT 2!!#mark #markiplier #markiplieredit #markiplieredits #markiplieredits #markiplierfanpage #markimoo #markimooedit #markimooedits #markimooclips #markfyp #markiplieroncesaid #fyp #fypシ #fypage #fypシ゚viral #fypdongggggggg #fypp #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fup #fupシ #fupage ♬ original sound – Markimoo🔛🔝
‘100% of the brain’
This meme, inspired by a scene from the 2014 sci-fi film, “Lucy,” originated in online Spanish-speaking communities as a way to comment on particularly intelligent or stupid behavior. It later found a broader audience with its humorous commentary on human potential and folly.
Big brain Wojak
Big brain Wojak features a character variant of the Wojack meme with an exaggeratedly large brain. This meme often appears in discussions involving intellectual posturing or overconfidence, and it originated on 4chan. The meme became popular as a visual punchline when making fun of those that seem to think they are more intelligent than others, especially because they subscribe to certain ideologies or beliefs.
this was the inspiration for the big brain wojak pic.twitter.com/tZAb01WrGf
— luscious beagle🎄 (@brianroadkill) February 20, 2022
The enduring appeal of big brain memes
Big brain memes reflect the essence of internet culture with their blend of humor, irony, and propensity to make fun of intellectualism. They provide a unique way for online communities to engage with ideas, while also poking fun at societal norms.
They have influenced online communication, introducing phrases like “galaxy brain move” into our everyday lexicon, and they demonstrate how internet culture can shape language by making complex ideas more accessible and enjoyable.
Finally figured out how to use the galaxy brain meme pic.twitter.com/SH3GWm8anA
— Lux “Non-Zionist” Alptraum (@LuxAlptraum) December 7, 2019
Big brain memes have shown a remarkable ability to stay relevant by evolving with the times. These memes are a testament to internet culture’s creativity and dynamic nature, and they will undoubtedly remain crucial to the online landscape of humor as they continue to evolve and adapt.
