The social media discussion of 2021 was defined by —where a video meant to be shared with friends becomes national news (see: Devious Lick, Couch Guy). It was also the year we realized that "canceling" was out, but "intense critical analysis of vibes" was very much in.
Though originating from Spider-Man 2 (2004), 2021 saw a renaissance of this specific line. This was largely due to the hype around Spider-Man: No Way Home . Users created deepfake video loops of Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn saying the line in response to absurd pseudoscience.
Why it went viral: The absurdist format required zero context. The Discussion: Video editors competed for "best wrong label." While low-stakes, the discussion revolved around "Anti-Humor" in 2021. Was it funnier when the label was close to correct (pointing at a muffin saying "bread") or completely insane (pointing at a forest fire saying "slightly warm")? Reddit polls were furious. Platform: Instagram Reels | Views: 2 Billion (Audio uses) top 10 mallu indian mms scandalssrg 2021
Why it went viral: Teenage rebellion meets clout economy. The Discussion: This was the most controversial viral trend of 2021. Social media split: Educators demanded TikTok ban the hashtag; teens argued "it’s just a prank." News outlets ran segments showing schools having to lock toilets and remove doors. The discussion eventually turned to ethics: Does deleting the hashtag solve the problem, or does reporting on it make it worse? Platform: Twitter | Views: 50M+ (Video compilations)
Why it went viral: The "No Way Home" trailer drop (August) sent the internet into a frenzy. The Discussion: Social media discussed "preemptive nostalgia" and how a three-second clip from decades ago can become a universal shorthand for "I barely understand this, but I’m claiming expertise." Linguists on Twitter analyzed how meme syntax evolved in 2021 to rely on irony. Platform: TikTok | Views: 200M+ (Hashtag) The social media discussion of 2021 was defined
A woman posted a video surprising her long-distance boyfriend at college. The video was wholesome—she runs in, he looks up from the couch, they hug. But the internet sleuths dissected the 12-second clip frame by frame. He didn't stand up. He looked guilty. A hand moves in the background.
Why it went viral: Gen Z openly declared war on Millennial aesthetics. The Discussion: This wasn't a funny cat video; it was a sociological grenade. Thousands of response videos argued whether being "Cheugy" was misogynistic (since it mostly mocked women's interests) or just accurate. The discussion dominated r/GenZ and Twitter for two solid weeks. Platform: TikTok | Views: 350M+ This was largely due to the hype around
Originating from the anime The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird , a still of a robot pointing at a butterfly saying, "Is this a pigeon?" was turned into video edits showing people pointing at obviously wrong things (e.g., a cigar, a cat, the moon).