Self-care memes rule the day

A latest trend, ‘self-care memes’ have taken over social media. These memes are being used for (according to people) more ‘noble’ purposes than just sending netizens into splits of laughter.

To make their own memes, individuals take one of their ugly photos and juxtapos with another picture where they look absolutely amazing; then comes the text — above or below the bad photo goes “If you don’t love me at my (picture) and above or below the good picture goes “Then you don’t deserve me at my (picture). The words are a rip off of Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote.

Even celebrities like YouTube star Jesse Wellens and AIB’s Tanmay’s Bhatt among many others have come forward to use this opportunity and post contrasting pictures of themselves. Popular TV show The Office’s official Twitter page also posted a picture of Mindy Kayling at her worst and best.

What has got people wondering though is why are the memes categorised under ‘self-care’. Psychologist Srikanth Acharya explains, “People are able to project what they had not accepted something about themselves in the past, and have now risen to not only accept it, but also to show both phases — their best and their worst — to the world. The kind of confidence it generates makes people feel good.”

The creative world that social media is, netizens have not refrained from coming up with witty memes in this category too. Take for example the meme of Arbaaz Khan’s photo as the worst phase and Roger Federer’s pictures as the best phase. And then there’s Hrithik’s before and after in the film Koi Mil Gaya, and in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, where a chubby boy turns out to be a handsome hunk. Kajol’s before and after photos from the film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has also gained popularity and gone viral.