To put it simply, these witty and slightly self-deprecating memes are a way for Americans to gently poke fun at European culture—as well as their own—by showing how different they think they are. The entire point is to post something from the US that might (semi-ironically) ‘shock’ someone living in Europe. Scroll down for the freshest memes and a reminder about how strange internet humor can get. Bored Panda reached out to Substack blogger and X (formerly Twitter) user @JSlaughterEsq, one of the people who created some of the first ‘The European Mind Can’t Comprehend This’ memes. He was kind enough to share some of his thoughts about the popularity of these memes, as well as American culture and self-perception. You’ll find his insights below. “I believe the meme is popular with Americans because we have something similar to an inferiority complex, and the meme allows us to project our culture as something that is too extreme, rugged, or masculine for Europeans,” he shared his perspective. “It is partly a defense mechanism but simultaneously speaks to the reality that America has a rugged spirit that appears nonexistent in Western Europe.” “I think people need to realize there is truth in most memes—that is why they are funny, and that laughing at our differences is a way for us to better understand each other,” @JSlaughterEsq said. “The size of the US is something that may shock most Europeans,” he said. “Visiting New York is not the same as visiting Alabama. It would be similar to visiting Germany and comparing that experience to Spain.” He added that the Southern US is incredible when it comes to hospitality. “Many Europeans would be shocked at how friendly Southerners are. Plus, the gun culture is something most Europeans cannot seem to understand.” At the core of the meme is the idea of posting jokes about real or perceived cultural differences between living in the United States and the European continent. According to Know Your Meme, the earliest recorded version of a ‘The European Mind Can’t Comprehend This’ meme was spotted on July 27, 2023. The post on X featured performer Micahel ‘Chili Dawn’ Castleberry, who played the guitar using a beer bottle, using it as a slide. That particular post, made by user @TPropositi (now @JSlaughterEsq, whom we got in touch with), got 26k likes in a month. In response, some X social network users started posting ‘The American Mind Can’t Comprehend This’ memes. Some popular examples of this meme, which got thousands of likes on the platform, included pictures of a handle being used to crack open the top of the window, as well as a European Union ID card. However, it does mean that we owe it to ourselves not to be overly serious about something as straightforward as silly internet pics. Travel broadens the mind, and if anything, these memes are an invitation for everyone to expand their cultural horizons. In this case, this means acknowledging that one’s culture might not be ‘perfect’ and embracing those quirks with the help of some lighthearted content. It’s meant to be amusing, not analytical. The point is not to take the memes (or oneself) too seriously: these images are not objective insights or in-depth analyses of culture. There might be a kernel of truth in them, but the focus is on the comedy! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
