2021 Meme Review

BY ERIN TOBIN '23

Although 2021 was anticipated to be a more “normal” year than its chaotic predecessor, the last twelve months have unfortunately shaped up to be similarly dysfunctional. However, social media has once again been able to turn these tragedies into (often ill-suited) comedies. This year's meme review consists of general internet culture mixed with a hint of cynicism, creating a sarcastic concoction of some “Good Soup.”

1. Capitol Riots/MeeMaw
After a mere six days, 2021 began its memage. To breed optimism during the unfortunate times following the Capitol Riots in January, meme fanatics took to their devices to create some of the most chaotic yet witty posts of 2021. The most popular out of these were the “MeeMaw” memes, beautifully crafted after a picture of a blatantly confused, grandma-type, rioter was indoctrinated into Twitter culture. As if she were a kindergartener on a school field trip, her barely-held sippy cup and thoughtless smile supplied much-needed humor and a sense of comfort on this alarming day.

2. Gorilla Glue Hair 
From its original video to the creation of the fervently trending TikTok sound, the Gorilla Glue hairspray mishap was a keystone of our social media experience in 2021. After mistaking spray-on super glue for a popular hairspray, Tessica Brown’s hair was exceptionally stuck. Hopefully this serves as a reminder to AB students that just briefly skimming over important words, *cough cough* Sparknotes *cough cough*, could possibly lead to a disaster. 

3. Bernie Sanders Mittens
One would believe that Lady Gaga and her The Hunger Games-inspired dress would be the highlight of President Biden’s inauguration. However, a much more miniscule, beautifully knitted neutral-toned winter accessory proved even more influential. Bernie Sanders' mittens and tired expression on that cold January day became a huge sensation, and his grumpy-grandpa vibe skyrocketed the sales of the local business where he bought his mittens while providing entertainment for weeks to come. 

4. Suez Canal
Seemingly one of the most catastrophic yet equally entertaining disasters of this year was the blocking of the Suez Canal, which led to a huge backup in international shipping. As the cargo ship Ever Given slowed and eventually stopped, social media platforms ran with this unfortunate situation as skits and videos were swiftly filmed. This chaotically funny time would have been even more enjoyable if my Harry Styles cardboard cutout had been delivered on time. 

5. Kim K Met Gala
Although Kim Kardashian has faced some harsh criticism of her fashion in the past, none compares to the backlash she faced across social media platforms after the 2021 Met Gala.  Her head to toe black bodysuit was compared to many spooky characters from popular films, including Harry Potter’s Death Eaters. The way she gave us absolutely nothing was terrifying. 

As this year ended, we can look back on both the horrible and humorous moments 2021 had to offer. Thankfully memes followed us all the way through, providing comfort, and subtle scoffs of air from our nostrils.