Internet Slang & Meme Symbolism
What does online language reveal about our collective unconscious
In our era, we are witnessing the emergence of an internet language and even an internet mythology. Our constant interaction with digital reality created a new layer of existence—the virtual dimension—where rules and norms operate differently: communication is exponential, trends evolve rapidly, and self-representation takes on a new form. A whole language has also evolved online, and to navigate this digital realm we must understand this new language and its underlying symbols.
In this article, we will explore the origins of internet slang—often labeled as 'Gen Z slang'—and examine how concepts born online shape our identities and create the new archetypes of our time. As Meme Analysis (2019) said, memes act as “images onto which we project our psychic energy”, much like zodiac signs have done for millennia. Indeed, the psyche of our generation is reflected in these new meme figures, which we will interpret through the lens of Jungian theory. By analyzing specific trending memes, we will try to uncover their psychological roots and their influence on the collective mind.
Internet Slang - Cultural Origins
Is there such a thing as internet slang or even internet language? Today, much of our lives take place online, where things evolve so rapidly that we often forget the origins of certain cultural elements. Most of the words popularized online generally trace their roots to AAVE (African American Vernacular English), video games and memes.
Ebonics or AAVE
English is widely recognized as the internet language, serving as the standard for computer science and online communication, although people use many other languages online. Certain expressions gained such popularity that they transformed into the shared language of an entire generation.
What we often refer to as “internet slang” or “Gen Z slang” is largely rooted in Ebonics, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE). For instance, words and phrases like basic, bet, bussin, cap, dip, drip, fleek, lit, hit different, it's giving, side-eye, slay, snatched, stay woke/woke, tea, and many more have gained widespread popularity online and are commonly used by Generation Z (1997–2010). This widespread usage can create the false impression that these terms are exclusive to the internet generations, rather than acknowledging the cultural context and communities from which they originated. In the article AAVE Is Not Your Internet Slang. It Is Black Culture, Tagwa Shammet (2021) highlights that “AAVE is being swallowed into internet culture and erased from the collective.” And, as a generation, we have to be careful when using words and expressions picked up online. It’s essential to recognize their cultural significance and, most importantly, to distinguish between what originated in the digital realm and what emerged from specific communities within particular social contexts.
If you wish to learn more about AAVE, check out the sources listed below.
Video Games
Another fertile ground where internet slang takes root is, unsurprisingly, video games. Consider terms like main character, NPC, where we dropping, sidequest and lore. Video games form another significant digital space that heavily influences culture. This phenomenon is reminiscent of how sports expressions have entered everyday language, such as to ace (from baseball), bench (on the bench or warm the bench), cheap shot (hockey), curveball (baseball), and more. Similarly, other types of games, like chess, have shaped our language with words like pawn, check, and gambit. Of course, cultural spheres are not isolated; there is constant interaction between sports, language, art, technology, science, and other domains. However, video games and the internet occupy the same overarching domain—the digital realm—and continuously influence one another. Many expressions from video games that have migrated to the internet have become part of our generation's vernacular, offering a clear example of the digital world blending with the material one.
Memes
Last but not least, memes represent one of the strongest cultural references for young internet users. But, what are memes and are they so simple to define? Younger generations that have been exposed to memes can easily recognize one, but is there one consensual definition for it?
In the 1970s, the concept of “Memetics” was introduced as a theory of cultural evolution grounded in Darwinian principles, with the meme as a fundamental unit through which culture spreads and evolves. In his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, biologist Richard Dawkins introduced the term derived from the ancient Greek root mimeme, meaning “imitated thing”. He shortened it to a single syllable, similar to “gene”, to emphasize the parallel between biological and cultural evolution. Memes serve as the cultural equivalent of genes—small, replicating units that evolve and shape the broader cultural ecosystem, the cultural DNA. Internet memes follow the same evolutionary patterns, spreading through processes of copying, variation, and selection. Some memes thrive and evolve, while others fade away. Before the internet, Dawkins described memes as cultural replicators that carry information such as musical tunes, catchphrases, fashion trends, technologies, etc. While this theory has sparked both agreement and disagreement among scholars, it has taken on a new meaning within the digital realm. “Memes on the internet took what is already naturally occurring in the way that we communicate and supercharged it by making it global and simple,1” said Mr. Price of Memes.com.
Internet Archetypes and Memes
What is an archetype and what does it mean collectively? I'm referring here to Jung's concept of the archetype, which can be described as “structural elements of the collective psyche [that] give psychic energy a defined form […] they direct and shape the way people encounter their environments” (Roesler, 2022). Archetypes reflect shared human experiences and are expressed through various cultural phenomena like myths, legends, art, literature, music, etc. We can think of archetypal figures like the hero, the wise old man, the child, or the mother. These are mental images we all recognize on some level, shaped by common symbols and themes shared across cultures. Rooted in the collective unconscious, they influence how we perceive and interpret stories, symbols, and the world around us.
Memes may follow a similar structure. They function as cultural images onto which we project our desires, fantasies, self-representations, thoughts, and emotions. “It has the ability to capture insight in a way that is in complete alignment with the zeitgeist.2” said the popular meme creator Saint Hoax. Undeniably, they inhabit the collective imaginary of our time, representing the mythology of our era. Some memes are so deeply embedded in our imagination that they have become key references in how we perceive ourselves and interact with society.
Chill Guy
The Chill Guy meme has made a lot of noise in the last months, not only on social media but also in stock markets and marketing, as is often the case with popular memes. It gained such popularity that it became a major cryptocurrency, a viral memecoin3. The story of Chill Guy is now embedded in the cultural heritage of our era.
It was created by Philip Banks in October 4th 2023, published with the caption “My new character. His whole deal is he's the chill guy that lowkey doesn't give a f**k.4” The image reveals a human-like dog wearing a gray sweater, rolled-up blue jeans, and red sneakers. He becomes easily relatable wearing this simple common outfit and gives off a carefree attitude with its hands casually tucked into its pockets and a faint smirk on its lips. This image has resonated with millions online. Chill Guy is the representation of the stoic, non-chalant persona that is not bothered by anything and remains chill at all times, no matter the situation.
The meme has mostly resonated with male users, as it features a male figure, although Chill Girl has also been part of the story. The figure of Chill Guy plays on the social cliché of the stoic man - detached from his emotions and composed in any situation, he constantly shows a laid-back vibe, even in extremly dramatic contexts. Being always chill is clearly an unrealistic ideal, yet the meme may also evoke a desire for peace and serenity. It became viral because it’s both relatable and, at times, completely absurd. It also carries a sense of nostalgia or longing for a simpler, more relaxed state of mind. One user writes “It’s not just a random image or a passing joke. No, it’s a reflection, a mirror held up to all of us who embody that calm, unbothered vibe.5” In the end, Chill Guy has really become an archetypal image shaped by social consensus, now embedded in our collective imaginary.
Main character and NPC
The expression main character is a synonym of the word protagonist in narrative structures. In video games, it represents the main player(s) who will greatly influence the adventure, generally controlled by human beings. Compared to NPCs (non-player characters), generally controlled by a computer, with a specific set of predetermined actions and no greater influence on the game.
These are the kind of dualities that inhabit the minds of our generation and reflect the dynamics of our world. Do you want to take control of the game, playing from your own perspective? Or would you rather be the NPC, controlled by the machine, devoid of free will? This metaphor may serve as a reminder to avoid slipping into the NPC zone—encouraging us to remain human in the game and to act with intention and autonomy. It’s a conception that can be actually empowering towards the rise of computers and AI. However, it has largely been used as a way to dismiss another’s mind. “NPC” became a label to categorize people as empty avatars, lacking self-awareness, identity, or a sense of greater purpose.
The main-character syndrome oddly becomes a symbol of solipsism—the belief that nothing exists beyond one’s mind—bringing the conversation about memes into the philosophical and existential realm. Apart from being a deeply narcissistic point of view, this concept also reinforces the popular theory that life is a simulation and that the world might be entirely controlled by a computer, a pretty popular conception that took over the internet. Didn’t Elon Musk state that we most probably live in a simulation? Feeling like the only main character in the game can lead us to fall “into a strange rabbit hole of solipsism” (Wilkinson, 2023), believing that nothing and no one else is real beyond ourselves—a dangerous belief that may cause us to treat others merely as tools for our own interests.
However, as trends constantly shift online, the main-character phenomenon has gradually given way to the rise of the non-player character. A new TikTok trend where users earn money by role-playing as NPCs in live streams - "NPC live streamers have planned reactions to the “gifts” they receive while they stream. Bigger gifts usually have bigger reactions.6" It seems like it doesn’t matter if main-characters are cooler than NPCs; online, all that counts is what generates the most views and delivers the most entertainment.
To conclude
Following trends has always been central to youth culture, it’s a way to feel included and gain value. However, social media amplifies this, making trends more significant and faster-paced. While social validation holds high priority in our current zeitgeist, it’s also important to recognize how the internet contributes to a major shift in our culture, taking the generational discourse to another level. With its memes and new slang, internet culture taps into an immense web of ideas that connect millions. By engaging with it, we’re not just consuming content; we’re actively shaping the conversation, making culture more fluid and accessible than ever before, and giving rise to a new kind of social imaginary.
SOURCES
AAVE
Jonkinen, V. (2008). African American Vernacular English. [PDF]. Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/2521193/african_american_vernacular_english
Shammet, T. (2021, February 18). AAVE is not your internet slang. It is Black culture. The Commonwealth Times. https://commonwealthtimes.org/2021/02/18/aave-is-not-your-internet-slang-it-is-black-culture/
Rickford, J. (1998). The Creole Origins of African Vernacular English. Stanford.edu. https://web.stanford.edu/~rickford/papers/CreoleOriginsOfAAVE.html
Video Games
Hunter, W. (2024, April 12). Is Gen Z talking about you behind your back? Youngsters have started using video game terms including 'NPC' and 'sidequests' in their everyday conversations - so, do you know what these slang words mean? DailyMail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13300515/Gen-Z-video-game-slang.html
Lists of sports idioms. (2024, December 21). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports_idioms
Memes
Benveniste, A. (2022, January 14). The Meaning and History of Memes. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html
Internet Meme. (2025, January 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme
Meme. (2025, January 6). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
Meme. (2025, January 7). In Merriam-Webster Dictionnary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme
Rogers, K. (2025, January 13). Meme. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/meme#ref1283993
Perry, C. (2015, August 12). The Shadow. The Society of Analytical Psychology. https://www.thesap.org.uk/articles-on-jungian-psychology-2/about-analysis-and-therapy/the-shadow/
Chill Guy
Just a Chill Guy / My New Character. (2025, January). KnowYourMeme. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/just-a-chill-guy-my-new-character
Kashmir, W. (2024, November 2025). What is the “Chill Guy’ Meme and Why is it Trending ? Brandsynario. https://www.brandsynario.com/what-is-the-chill-guy-meme-and-why-is-it-trending/
TOI Lifestyle Desk. (2025, January 7). Meet the ‘Chill Guy’ : All you need to know about the viral meme. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/meet-the-chill-guy-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-viral-meme/articleshow/115570292.cms
Main Character & NPC
Aikin, S., & Talisse, R. (2018, November 5). NPC memes and the politics of soplipsism. 3 Quarks Daily. https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2018/11/npc-memes-and-the-politics-of-solipsism.html
Hill, E.J. (2023, August 8). People are pretending to be ‘NPCs’ on TikTok and it’s not just weird, it’s also lucrative. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/people-are-pretending-to-be-npcs-on-tiktok-and-its-not-just-weird-its-also-lucrative-210795
Wilkinson, L. (2023, November 2). NPCs and Main Character Syndrome - the internet’s newest plague. B-Mag. https://b-mag.bhasvic.ac.uk/blog/160-npcs-and-main-character-syndrome-the-internets-newest-plague
Main Character. (2020, October 29). In Dictionnary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/main-character/
Benveniste, A. (2022, January 14). The Meaning and History of Memes. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html
Idem.
“Meme Coins is the term used to describe different cryptocurrencies that typically bear the name of an iconic meme or internet reference.” (https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/meme-coins)
TOI Lifestyle Desk. (2025, January 7). Meet the ‘Chill Guy’ : All you need to know about the viral meme. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/meet-the-chill-guy-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-viral-meme/articleshow/115570292.cms
Idem.
Hill, E.J. (2023, August 8). People are pretending to be ‘NPCs’ on TikTok and it’s not just weird, it’s also lucrative. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/people-are-pretending-to-be-npcs-on-tiktok-and-its-not-just-weird-its-also-lucrative-210795