Ohio (meme)

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Ohio (meme)
Commonly used in Generation Z and Generation Alpha
Popularized in 2016.
Popularized again in 2022.

Ohio, also referred to as Only in Ohio or Ohio vs. the World, [1] [2] [3] is an Internet slang and meme first popularized in 2016. The term refers to obviously surreal and random phenomena that supposedly occur in the U.S. state with the same name. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The term is one of many slang words associated with Generation Z and Generation Alpha. [6] [7] [8] [9] It is often associated with brain rot.

Contents

History

In 2016, a Tumblr user posted a picture of a Chicago Transit Authority bus stop with an announcement reading "Ohio will be eliminated." [10] The message was intended to inform riders about a bus stop removal at the intersection of Ohio Street and Michigan Avenue; [10] however, the photo became viral over the message being misconstrued to refer to the state instead of the street. [2] [5] [7] In the years after the photo was published, absurdist memes related to Ohio were published on social media.[ citation needed ]

Starting in 2022, videos that attribute Ohio with bizarre and sometimes disturbing situations ("Only in Ohio" videos) became viral. They were often coupled with a song "Swag Like Ohio" by Lil B. [1] [2] [6] The term Ohio was later coupled with newly popular Internet slang terms like sigma, "rizz" and "skibidi". [6] [8] [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Stanford, Kaitlin (7 December 2023). "Ohio is a huge joke on TikTok — again. Why does the state keep getting memed". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Spearman, Kahron (28 December 2023). "What's the deal with 'Only in Ohio' memes?". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 Robinson, Breanna (9 January 2023). "The 'Ohio' TikTok meme explained | indy100". www.indy100.com. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  4. Pellot, Emerald (14 November 2022). "Why is everyone joking about Ohio on TikTok?". Yahoo. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 Shotwell, Alyssa (12 January 2023). "This State Has Overtaken Florida & New Jersey as America's Favorite Punching Bag". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Why Gen Z and Alpha are calling everything 'Ohio'—And it's not a compliment!". The Times of India. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  7. 1 2 Perry, Alex. "Are 'Ohio' memes the source of 'brainrot' among Gen Alpha? Here's what we know". The Enquirer. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  8. 1 2 Sjöberg, Alice (11 July 2024). "What does 'Skibidi Ohio Rizz' mean? Gen Alpha insult explained". Dexerto. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  9. 1 2 Matthews, David. "Michigan Ave. Bus Stop Says Nation's 7th Largest State Will Be Destroyed". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  10. Johnson, Arianna. "The Meaning Behind The 'Ohio' Meme And Why It's Taken Off In Popularity This Summer". Forbes . Retrieved 7 December 2024.