Modern relationships are complicated, to say the least—the guy who literally wrote the book on them doesn’t seem to grasp the language of consent. It’s why many people would rather hang out with their pets than a significant other. And don’t even get us started on dating. In light of all this, the “single, taken, or X” meme is here to help. Or at least shed some humor onto what can otherwise be a fairly grim outlook.
The meme is not exactly a new one, as the earliest found instance on Twitter dates back five years to June of 2013, when @PrettyPink_2014 posted this sentiment we can probably all get down with.
⚪️ Single
— FAN 🌼 (@PrettyPink_2014) June 17, 2013
⚪️ Taken
🔘 EATING
From there it was used sparingly over the years, but every now and then a tweet would go viral.
https://twitter.com/FriendlyAssh0le/status/674064585519931392
https://twitter.com/_CollegeHumor_/status/665918583021674496
https://twitter.com/yeetztweetz/status/920878495827484672
We may also have the @DepressedDarth parody account to thank for keeping it alive.
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/674492431769853956
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/678361451980070912
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/685759178892161024
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/712603567119474688
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/769991702014730240
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/887503436354375685
https://twitter.com/DepressedDarth/status/960338071656042496
But for whatever reason—as the internet is near impossible to predict—the meme seems to have exploded in popularity in the past week, as hundreds of others chimed in about their relationship (or lack thereof) status.
First, there were the brutally honest takes:
⚪️ single. ⚪️ taken. 🔘 drinks a lot.
— natalee👑 (@NataleeHatfield) May 17, 2018
I’m
— el 🥠 (@zonerachas) May 23, 2018
⚪️ single
⚪️ taken
🔘 bROKEN DO YOU HEAR MEeEeEeeE
https://twitter.com/drunklouiswt/status/999208085473447936
And then there were the lyrical jokes.
https://twitter.com/luvismo/status/999060012390432769
https://twitter.com/mgcthatsall/status/999307617037111300
https://twitter.com/Dani_Hines182/status/999024934461599745
https://twitter.com/bassisthugs/status/998935222665269248
Speaking of those who prefer the companionship of pets…
https://twitter.com/aceditpod/status/998751426959626240
Aren’t we all, Brianna. Aren’t we all.
https://twitter.com/gyIInehaals/status/998327194211569664
And then there were the requisite absurd takes on the meme.
https://twitter.com/CestDjor/status/998380009181138946
https://twitter.com/merrittk/status/998689430302068742
⚪️ single
— alva (@alvabama) May 21, 2018
⚪️ taken
🔘 in a relationship with this picture of homer lookin lile a snacc pic.twitter.com/pAGRpOh6PQ
See? Maybe things aren’t so bleak, after all!
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