dating memes

These memes and tweets are seriously helping us forget that it's already the end of September and both fall and Seasonal Affective Disorder are completely and atrociously imminent. If we're going to have to stay inside for the next 6 months, we're going to do it with memes.

In the age of online dating, sliding into DMs, and social distancing, romantic pursuit is looking more like a casual 'wyd' text and less like the elaborate, tenacious courtships we grew up marveling at in Hollywood movies. Not that there's anything wrong with a more straightforward, no-bullshit approach to flirting—the concept of dating lots of different people throughout one's adulthood is much more socially accepted now than it used to be. And as the social conditions change over time, it's only natural that our behavior should change accordingly. The problem is, we're complicated, overthinking humans. We still have to reconcile the realities of modern dating with desire, fantasy, and unrealistic expectations. In 1960, French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan said of love and desire, 'imagine you see in front of you a beautiful flower, or a ripe fruit. You reach out your hand to grab it. But at the moment you do, the flower, or the fruit, bursts into flames. In its place you see another hand appear, reaching back towards your own.' Lacan believed that desire is produced in the margin between one's appetite for satisfaction and the demand for love. He theorized that desire isn't exactly innate—desire is actually mediated by the desire of the 'Other.' And what does this big Other desire? Well if we knew that, then our desire burst into flame like Lacan's beautiful flower. Because it's the very recognition of the object of desire that we lack and therefore seek. Our desire is like an empty vessel that constantly gets filled with the desire of the Other, always changing as the socio-cultural context changes. And so it makes sense then that millennials are unsatisfied with certain normalized social behaviors that have been shaped by new social conditions. Reality is at odds with what we are made to desire—an idealized version of reality that fiction routinely implants into us.

We're featuring a viral Twitter meme that very succinctly illustrates this age-old problem of expectation vs. reality. The meme cleverly takes that familiar 'wyd' text (which is comically concise and yet loaded with implications) and juxtaposes it with absurdly theatrical shows of concern from well-known romcom scenes, television dialogue, and corny song lyrics. It's always 'wyd' and never 'but, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?' It's always 'wyd' and never 'you had me at hello.' It's always 'wyd' and never 'you're like my own personal brand of heroin.' Get it?

Perhaps the best thing about this meme is the level of self-awareness it reveals about the poster. Those tweeting the meme are simultaneously admitting their desire for a vague, idealized version of romance and making fun of themselves for it, which becomes evident in the more absurd tweets. One of the funniest examples of this meme is perhaps the one that uses Anakin Skywalker's infamous line in Star Wars: Episode II—"It's always 'wyd' and never 'I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth.'" The notoriously cringey scene was supposed to represent a romantic, intimate turning point in the characters' relationship. Instead it feels more like a terribly awkward Tinder date that would have had a real-life Padme running in the other direction. The decision to insert this line into the meme turns it into a hilarious mockery of its original sentiment. We've collected some of the funniest examples of the trending Twitter meme for your amusement.

It's important to be able to share things with your partner, whether you've just started dating or have been coupled for what feels like an eternity. This means sharing hopes, dreams, fears, and most importantly, sexy relationship memes. These particular specimens range from sappy relationship memes to savagely relatable relationship memes and they're sure to make your significant other or crush smile, laugh, or feel personally attacked. All good options. Oh, and one more list.

Things we are "canceling" temporarily today: 

- Boredom

- Bullshit

- Responsibilities

- Depression

- Ennui

- The crushing weight of our existence

How are we canceling this sh*t? By tuning out and tuning into these tasty memes.

How did people meet before dating apps? It seems like ages ago since singles were courting each other IRL. Of course there have been plenty of people who stuck to their guns and refused to download Tinder, but now with the plague making us all involuntarily anti-social, seems like online dating is our only option for the foreseeable future. 

If you've just downloaded a dating app and are dying a little inside, hopefully these screenshots of entertaining Tinder conversations will cheer you up a bit. Interactions with strangers online can range from cringe, to wholesome, to just plain weird, and we're grateful r/Tinder has given us a glimpse into all the hilarious private Tinder worlds. 

Finding love isn't easy, and being in a relationship also has its struggles. But if you're single as a pringle, and looking to mingle, then these memes are for you. They are relatably depressing but also hilariously harsh. Which, incidentally, is how I'd describe my love life. The struggles of being single and the trials and tribulations of being in love are all found here, in this latest collection of dating memes.

How's 2021 feeling, everyone? As far as we can tell, nothing has changed. Except for the way we write the date, which will inevitably take a month to get used to. There was something very cursed and anti-climactic about this holiday, and to assuage the disappointment we've put together yet another hefty helping of memes and tweets. Some are clever, some are stupid, but they all make for an excellent distraction.

It's like clockwork. Winter's bleakness recedes, and everyone who cuffed up for the cold nights is starting to feel that itch. It's officially breakup season. These memes are designed to help get you out of the misery hole and back on market to take advantage of those sexy summer flings. 

If these memes aren't doing the trick, these ex-related memes might give you the spiteful solace you crave. If you're still coupled, well, here are some boring memes about your successful love. Enjoy.

These memes won't necessarily help you forget about your ex, but they will help you mask the pain with inappropriate amounts of sass.

Just remember it can always be worse, as proven by these people admitting to the pettiest reasons they broke up with someone.

When all your friends are loved up in relationships, being single isn't always easy. We all know that your happiness shouldn't be tied to your relationship status, and in fact, being single is a great time to learn about yourself and what makes you tick. However, it would be nice to occasionally have someone take you to dinner instead of ordering takeout for one and drinking wine with your cats. I wouldn't know anything about that, though; I'm just speaking for a friend. Hopefully, these memes will help you feel slightly better about being single and give you comfort that you're not alone in how you feel. Because, as I've learned, a good meme can cure anything. 

Almost every person has been on or will go on a bad date at some point in their life. I believe that awkward dates are a natural part of life, much like gravity and sunset. If you've done well enough to avoid one until now, I commend you. Honestly, you have dodged one of life's greatest bullets. But if you have a plethora of lousy date tales to tell, then welcome to the club. It's a magical place. Another Valentines Day has just come and gone, and if, like me, you were sat at home without a valentine, then these tweets about people's 'Weird, uncomfortable, funny, awkward, and ultimately entertaining' bad dates, will make you feel better about being single.

Almost every person has been on or will go on a bad date at some point in their life. I believe that awkward dates are a natural part of life, much like gravity and sunset. If you've done well enough to avoid one until now, I commend you. Honestly, you have dodged one of life's greatest bullets. But if you have a plethora of lousy date tales to tell, then welcome to the club. It's a magical place. Another Valentines Day has just come and gone, and if, like me, you were sat at home without a valentine, then these tweets about people's 'Weird, uncomfortable, funny, awkward, and ultimately entertaining' bad dates, will make you feel better about being single.

Almost every person has been on or will go on a bad date at some point in their life. I believe that awkward dates are a natural part of life, much like gravity and sunset. If you've done well enough to avoid one until now, I commend you. Honestly, you have dodged one of life's greatest bullets. But if you have a plethora of lousy date tales to tell, then welcome to the club. It's a magical place. Another Valentines Day has just come and gone, and if, like me, you were sat at home without a valentine, then these tweets about people's 'Weird, uncomfortable, funny, awkward, and ultimately entertaining' bad dates, will make you feel better about being single.

Almost every person has been on or will go on a bad date at some point in their life. I believe that awkward dates are a natural part of life, much like gravity and sunset. If you've done well enough to avoid one until now, I commend you. Honestly, you have dodged one of life's greatest bullets. But if you have a plethora of lousy date tales to tell, then welcome to the club. It's a magical place. Another Valentines Day has just come and gone, and if, like me, you were sat at home without a valentine, then these tweets about people's 'Weird, uncomfortable, funny, awkward, and ultimately entertaining' bad dates, will make you feel better about being single.