Art Blog #160: Cringe Is The Kryptonite Of A Good Meme

What Even Is Cringe? A Totally Serious Investigation (LOL, JK)

If you’re scrolling TikTok at 3 AM and stumble upon a video of someone’s overly enthusiastic promposal gone horribly wrong, you probably know the feeling. Your whole body contorts like you just ate a lemon dipped in hot sauce. That, my friends, is cringe. Welcome to a world where the uncomfortable, the awkward, and the hilariously tone-deaf reign supreme.

For the uninitiated (aka boomers and people who think Facebook is still cool) and not just those, cringe is the ultimate emotional rollercoaster. It’s the modern-day art form that takes us from secondhand embarrassment to tears of laughter in 0.5 seconds. But let’s dive deeper, because cringe isn’t just a feeling—it’s a movement.

Memes Are the New Hieroglyphics (No Cap)

Here’s the thing about memes: they’re the secret handshake of the younger generation. Remember that inside joke you had with your middle school bestie? Memes are like that, but on steroids and broadcast to the entire internet. It’s not just content; it’s culture. Take, for instance, the saga of the “It’s Corn” kid.

You know the one—the 7-year-old who passionately declared his undying love for corn in a viral interview. That clip turned into songs, TikToks, and even branded merch. What started as pure, innocent enthusiasm became meme fodder for millions. Teens made it ironic, brands made it awkward, and by the time your uncle shared it on his Facebook timeline, the meme had officially gone full cringe.

Cringe Fuels Teen Communication (and We’re Obsessed)

Teenagers have this superpower of turning literally anything into a meme. They’ll take the most random moments and turn them into the universal language of the internet. An anecdote for the kiddos: imagine you’re the newest sixth grader in town, trying to make friends. The easiest icebreaker? Just say, “That’s so sus,” in a deadpan voice and watch the magic happen.

Cringe-worthy phrases like “Sus” (thank you, Among Us) and “Slay queen” have infiltrated daily communication. They’re as essential to Gen Z’s vocab as the words “hello” or “I need Wi-Fi.” But why do these awkward phrases catch on? It’s because they’re funny, irreverent, and sometimes make adults scratch their heads. Cringe is rebellion wrapped in LOLs.

The Evolution of Cringe: From Basement LOLs to Corporate Goldmine

What happens when brands realize that memes = free internet clout? You get corporate cringe. We’ve all seen it: that one tweet from a fast-food chain trying to sound like your edgy cousin on Twitter. “We’re all out of chicken nuggets, but don’t be salty—unless it’s our fries.” You’re cringing. We’re all cringing. And that’s the point.

Cringe marketing works because it’s relatable. It’s brands saying, “Hey, we’re in on the joke too.” And while it doesn’t always hit the mark (looking at you, “How do you do, fellow kids?” energy), when it does, it’s genius. Case in point: the Wendy’s Twitter account, which roasted everyone from competitors to random followers and became the unofficial queen of snarky brand memes.

Why Cringe Is Low-Key Art

Don’t laugh—okay, do laugh, but cringe really is art. It’s the modern-day Dadaism, breaking all the rules and flipping conventional norms on their heads. Just like Marcel Duchamp made people question, “Is a urinal art?” (yes, seriously), memes make us question, “Is a picture of a cat screaming into a void art?” (also yes).

Cringe challenges our comfort zones. It forces us to confront awkwardness and find humor in the absurd. And in a way, isn’t that what art is all about? From over-the-top TikTok trends to poorly animated YouTube shorts, cringe gives a platform to the raw and unfiltered. It’s messy. It’s chaotic. It’s beautiful.

The Meme Lifespan: From LOL to RIP

Here’s the thing about memes: they have the lifespan of a fruit fly. One moment, it’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. The next, your mom’s posting it with 15 heart emojis, and it’s officially dead. But the beauty of memes is that they’re constantly evolving. For every “Doge” that retires, there’s a “Shrek’s Bizarre Adventure” waiting in the wings.

Cringe is a natural part of this cycle. A meme often becomes cringy when it’s overexposed or co-opted by people who “don’t get it.” (Spoiler: corporations and boomers.) But instead of lamenting the death of a good meme, we celebrate it—by ironically bringing it back to life in the most ridiculous ways possible.

Memes Are Here to Stay, and That’s Low-Key Lit

Whether you’re laughing at a meme, making one, or cringe-scrolling through the latest TikTok trend, there’s no denying that memes are here to stay. They’ve infiltrated art, communication, and even the stiff world of corporate marketing. Cringe may start as a visceral reaction to awkwardness, but it ends as a celebration of the beautifully bizarre world we live in.

So the next time you see a meme that makes you cringe, embrace it. Laugh at it. Maybe even make your own. Because in a world that’s often too serious, cringe is the antidote we all need—awkward, hilarious, and unapologetically real.

-Peter Von Hauerland