What Makes a Meme "Spicy"?
The issue with context-heavy memes, unfortunately, is that they have an expiration date. For example, if you have a meme that references recent news stories, it won’t make much sense in a week, a month, and especially in a year. The content might make you laugh in the moment, but it won’t hold up as well in terms of longevity as, say, a more universal Spongebob Squarepants-themed image. For example, one about (not) laughing at genuinely good jokes when they’re told by someone you dislike. Or immediately turning to look behind you when your buddies tell you not to.
Meanwhile, memes have a positive impact on us just like other types of humorous content, whether it’s goofing around with friends in person or watching a fantastic stand-up show at your local theater/dive bar. Very Well Mind explains that laughter reduces the level of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine, and growth hormone. Meanwhile, it also increases the level of endorphins.
The benefits of laughter extend even further. Whether you’re gracefully chuckling or literally rolling on the floor, wheezing out of breath, your immune system is benefiting from all of it. Laughter also helps reduce your stress and anxiety levels, provides physical as well as emotional release, and helps distract you from all the problems—big of small—that you’re dealing with in your life right now.
Not only that, humor can be a wonderful weapon to have in your arsenal. A weapon that can help you stay resilient even during the toughest of times. At its core, humor is about the element of surprise. We’re amused because we’re suddenly presented with a peculiar, unusual perspective on a familiar idea. We’re given a fresh new way of looking at a situation. We’re so taken aback that we end up laughing! And it’s that search for optimism and levity that has helped people stay resilient during even the darkest moments in history.
So, dear Pandas, which of these memes did you enjoy the most? Were there any that made you laugh so hard that you felt compelled to send them to your friends or coworkers? Which meme did you personally think was the ‘spiciest’? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
Why Adult Memes Hit Different
There's a reason adult memes and inappropriate memes have their own corner of the internet. They assume the audience is smart enough to handle nuance, irony, and the occasional uncomfortable truth.
The best ones work on multiple levels: funny on the surface, slightly unsettling underneath. That combination is what separates a genuinely good edgy meme from one that just tries too hard.
