Slightly different from surreal memes were deep-fried memes. While they, too, were ironic, deep-fried memes had a very distinct look: grainy, strangely colored, and slightly washed-out. One subgenre of Markiplier memes, the deep fried Lord Marquaad E, was a sign of where memes as a whole were heading. It doesn't really have a meaning, other than trying to see just how far absurd internet humor could go. And its popularity proved that it could go far. Very far.
Since 2020, we've been in the post-irony meme era. One might say that memes are barely recognizable compared to what they once were. People use familiar formats, like the Gigachad and the rage comics, but the meaning is totally different. There are no punchlines or intents, simply images. And the absurdism derived from that requires one to be a long-time resident of the internet.
Some people even take the joke of post-ironic memes so far as to get them tattooed on their bodies. Sure, tattoos can be funny, but would you, Pandas, go for a Mr. Worldwide Pitbull tattoo just for laughs? "If I want a care bear tattoo on my leg, what's stopping me? Society? We're all screwed anyway, have you seen the housing market?", a tattoo artist specializing in post-ironic tattoos, Tyler Fertig-Smith, told Dazed.
What do you think about the memes in this list, Pandas? Which era of memes would you say they belong to? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don't forget to upvote your favorites so they can make it to the very top! Meanwhile, while you're here, be sure to also check out our previous collection from Daily Humor Memes.
