Typically, when I see lots of people I follow jumping on a meme on Twitter, I experience an acute inflammation of my narcissism, a deeply disproportionate revulsion at the thought of playing along. I'm filled with a kind of pre-emptive shame, and if I'm caught especially off-guard, I'll project that back on everyone else and feel as though I am embarrassed for them instead of myself. Behind that is a feeling of having been somehow left behind, as if memes were a get-together that no one thought to invite me to.
Party of one
Party of one
Party of one
Typically, when I see lots of people I follow jumping on a meme on Twitter, I experience an acute inflammation of my narcissism, a deeply disproportionate revulsion at the thought of playing along. I'm filled with a kind of pre-emptive shame, and if I'm caught especially off-guard, I'll project that back on everyone else and feel as though I am embarrassed for them instead of myself. Behind that is a feeling of having been somehow left behind, as if memes were a get-together that no one thought to invite me to.