Although internet users have been guzzling tea by the gallon for years now, the Sips Tea subreddit has actually only been around since February, 2022. Yet amazingly, the group has already amassed an impressive 479k members, or people “minding their own business,” as the group calls them. “Take a tea break and browse the internet's hottest and trending viral videos and memes,” the group’s About section states, adding that “on Wednesdays, [they] post frogs.” The rules of the community are pretty straightforward: follow Reddit’s content policy; don’t be rude; no sharing spam or outside links; NSFW and spoilers must be properly labeled; avoid reposts; and frogs must be posted on Wednesdays.
Members gather around to share hilarious memes and screenshots they’ve stumbled upon online, adorable pics and videos of literal frogs on Wednesdays and content that makes them wonder, “Is this real life?” No matter what your taste is when it comes to content online, Sips Tea is sure to have something that will make you smile, so we hope you’re thirsty! We’ve got a wild variety of memes, pics and social media interactions here for you, pandas.
If you take a trip down memory lane with me for a moment, you’ll likely remember the famous Kermit the Frog memes that spread like wildfire online circa 2014. A photo of the beloved Muppet sipping tea captioned with, “But that’s none of my business” became a cultural icon, and soon “sipping tea” meant gossiping and commenting on juicy topics. And according to Lola Mosanya at the BBC, science can actually explain just why these memes of Kermit became so popular and have stood the test of time, despite most viral memes popping up one day and disappearing the next.
Shoshana Weissmann, an expert in semiotics (the study of signs), and Don Caldwell, a curator at Know Your Meme, say that Kermit the Frog memes have seen so much viral success due to the nostalgia that they invoke. Kermit is a favorite character from many people’s childhoods, and memes featuring him resonate across wide audiences. "[Memes including childhood characters] all are either widely known or need no context, they can fit into many scenarios and have long lives," Weissmann told the BBC.
While there have been thousands of meme trends over the past 9 years, Kermit the Frog memes never seem to completely die out. Even one featuring Kermit talking to a hooded version of himself, or Evil Kermit, has been popular in recent years. And if you’re interested in starting the next wave of Kermit memes, Caldwell recommends “[captioning your] image with a new clever joke or some other type of relatable commentary, and it can keep going indefinitely." So hop to it, pandas! I’m ready to see your new Kermit memes popping up on Sips Tea stat!
If you’re wondering what makes a meme go viral in the elusive world of the internet, Joe Akiki at Mass Media and Culture says that a meme needs to stand out if it wants to make a splash online. “A tried and tested strategy to accomplish this is to include something completely outrageous or taboo designed to grab someone’s attention,” he explains. “This tactic is utilized by most ‘rich guru’ scam artists you see–The Andrew Tates and Grant Cardones of the world.”
It’s also not great for a meme’s virality if it requires too much thinking to understand. Akiki notes that ideas that don’t need much cognitive processing are more likely to be remembered and shared. And, of course, it’s got to be funny and tap into the cultural context of a society. “Memes that reference popular culture, events, or trends that are relevant to people tend to be more successful,” Akiki explains. “This is because they provide a sense of belonging and shared understanding among people, which makes them more likely to share and spread the meme.”
As with food and music preferences, everyone has their own taste when it comes to memes as well. But according to “meme scientist” Ari Spool, who also works for Know Your Meme, the formula for a great meme involves absurdity and a certain “inside-joke” quality. She told Vice in 2015 that, “People like humor that seems tailored directly to them, and memes, while they may appeal widely, have the appearance of an inside joke that everyone is sharing and owning and creating.” This is why we love sharing memes and captioning them with “Me!” or “Mood!”
