Anyone who has cared for plants has experienced their fair share of failures. It’s part of the learning process, and knowing how to deal with such mishaps is what matters most.
Some people choose to laugh at their mistakes, which, according to registered clinical psychologist Dr. Cassidy Blair, is like turning on a release valve during moments of vulnerability about these imperfections.
“When people have difficulty articulating their emotional needs, they will often put their energy into taking care of a loved object. So when people joke about buying their 47th pothos, they're telling the truth,” Dr. Blair told Bored Panda. “That joke is a way of hiding a fear of not looking after something that relies on you.”
Expressing emotions through memes has become a common practice in today's digital media landscape. Floral designer and Posy Laboratory founder Lisa Burford describes these images as a “form of botanical solidarity,” especially when lamenting failed growing ventures.
“We laugh because we're admitting we've all been there before. Botanical expertise is basically the refined result of many failed experiments. We grow through our experiences with our plants, and that includes the failures, too,” Burford said.
Burford says that plant care memes expressing failure transform internal shame into a shared human experience. It also provides communal validation, giving plant owners permission to be imperfect and the courage to keep trying.
“Because so many people are liking and sharing (these memes) at once, you aren't forgiven in private, but instead you're part of a huge group of people all admitting to the same mistake,” she explained.
