Engaging with weirdness scratches people’s itch to feel strong emotions like fear and disgust, just in a safer, more controlled environment. That’s why we are often interested to explore unusual topics, like true crime stories and paranormal activities, and eat fried insects for fun (protein, yum!).
To further foster our curiosity for strangeness (because it’s the opposite of boring), we prepared a list of the most bizarre memes from the ‘Weird Meme’ Facebook group. Scroll down to find them, and make sure to upvote the ones with the highest level of odd.
#1
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#2
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#3
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
In a previous interview with psychologist and founder and CEO of the Private Therapy Clinic, Dr. Becky Spelman, we spoke a little bit more about why people seek weird or disturbing things online and in real life.
“The captivation with disgust can be attributed to several psychological factors. Firstly, there’s a phenomenon known as “benign masochism,” where people derive pleasure from experiences that are initially perceived as negative.”
#4
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#5
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#6
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
“This can include watching scary movies, eating extremely spicy food, or, in this case, viewing disturbing images,” she further explained.
“It’s a form of thrill-seeking, where the knowledge that these experiences are not actually harmful allows people to enjoy the sensation of being “disgusted” in a safe environment.”
#7
Image credits: Iin Lukman
#8
Image credits: Celine du Randt
#9
Image credits: Tina Tic
Some people even seek out these experiences as a way to cope. “Engaging in activities that are slightly unpleasant or discomforting but ultimately harmless can provide a sense of control and a way to confront fears or anxieties in a controlled setting. It’s a way to experience and process negative emotions in a context where the individual feels safe and in control. This can be therapeutic and help in building resilience against stress and anxiety.”
#10
Image credits: Macybrooke Wynne
#11
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#12
Image credits: Ayy Vlog
While it can provide many benefits for people, Spelman warns that if not consumed in moderation or kept in balance, it can have negative consequences. “These behaviors can escalate, leading to a desensitization to disturbing content, which might require increasingly extreme experiences to achieve the same emotional effect. There’s also a risk of normalizing or becoming insensitive to real-world violence and suffering.”
#13
Image credits: Cristian Ortega
#14
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#15
Image credits: Alex Canclini
Being desensitized can lessen our responsiveness not only to negative or aversive stimuli but also to positivity. It can occur with anything, making us feel less empathy for people and violence happening in the real world. Even though it can be a great tool to treat phobias, fears, and mental health disorders, at the same time, it could be detrimental by erasing sensitivity to the suffering of others.
#16
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#17
Image credits: Mike Mitchell
#18
Image credits: Amber Mitchell
“Additionally, if these behaviors are used as a primary coping mechanism, they might prevent individuals from developing healthier emotional processing and coping strategies. It’s important for individuals to monitor their engagement with such content and ensure it doesn’t interfere with their emotional well-being or social functioning,” said Spelman.
#19
Image credits: Hedda Evensen
#20
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#21
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
If a person becomes desensitized, in order to reverse it, it often requires therapeutic intervention like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps to change neurological pathways to the brain. This is usually done by challenging the person’s feelings and behaviors.
#22
Image credits: David J Ruedy
#23
Image credits: Tiffany Smith
#24
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
Everything considered, it’s important to find healthy ways to cope so the seemingly innocent search for weirdness doesn’t progress into something that hinders our well-being.
#25
Image credits: Andi Tenri Amalia
#26
Image credits: Lea Cox
#27
Image credits: Cody Beaudry
#28
Image credits: Håîāsî Sötnás
#29
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#30
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#31
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#32
Image credits: Iin Lukman
#33
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#34
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#35
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#36
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#37
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#38
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#39
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#40
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#41
Image credits: Doug Hensley
#42
Image credits: Phạm Viết Chiến
#43
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#44
Image credits: Celine du Randt
#45
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#46
Image credits: Tiffany Smith
#47
Image credits: Doug Hensley
#48
Image credits: Halim Brown
#49
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#50
Image credits: Todd Downing
#51
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#52
Image credits: Gunter Simon
#53
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#54
Image credits: Doug Hensley
#55
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#56
Image credits: Cameron Mattox
#57
Image credits: Rulii Sweet
#58
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#59
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#60
Image credits: Alex Canclini
#61
Image credits: Julika Isabellas
#62
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#63
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#64
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#65
Image credits: Patience Shai Brann
#66
Image credits: David J Ruedy
#67
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#68
Image credits: Francesco Vaira
#69
Image credits: Molly Fletcher
#70
Image credits: Todd Downing
#71
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#72
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#73
Image credits: Cody Beaudry
#74
Image credits: Tina Tic
#75
Image credits: Alex Canclini
#76
Image credits: Ayy Ardianti
#77
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#78
Image credits: Patience Shai Brann
#79
Image credits: Alex Canclini
#80
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#81
Image credits: Aziz Aegon
#82
Image credits: Gunter Simon
#83
Image credits: Arturo Garcia
#84
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#85
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#86
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#87
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#88
Image credits: Cathy Joy
#89
Image credits: Doug Hensley
#90
Image credits: Tina Tic
#91
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#92
Image credits: Devie Gita Fitriyanti
#93
Image credits: Melissa Fingland
#94
Image credits: Minh Thái
#95
Image credits: Rex King
#96
Image credits: Tina Tic
#97
Image credits: Haze Kat
#98
Image credits: Tina Tic
#99
Image credits: Mustafa Amer
#100
Image credits: Linda Wård
#101
Image credits: Aprie Riza
#102
Image credits: Anthony Lawson
#103
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#104
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#105
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
#106
Image credits: Patience Shai Brann
#107
Image credits: Vibes
#108
Image credits: Xandria Elizabeth
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