#BoneHurtingJuice - Anti-Meme Absurdism
Overview
Bone Hurting Juice is a style of meme that takes existing meme templates and uses them in unexpectedly literal or nonsensical ways, subverting the intended format. It’s “anti-meme” humor that deliberately misuses meme templates.
Origin
The phrase comes from a webcomic edited by Twitter user @Glove_Slap in July 2016. The edit showed a character drinking juice that causes his bones to hurt, paired with “oof ouch owie my bones.”
The r/bonehurtingjuice subreddit was created August 2016 and became the hub for this style of meta-humor.
What Makes It BHJ
Bone Hurting Juice memes:
- Take existing templates (Expanding Brain, Drake, etc.)
- Ignore the intended meaning
- Create literal or absurd alternatives
- Subvert expectations
- Often make no sense, which is the point
Examples
Drake format:
- Top: “When the juice hurts your bones”
- Bottom: “oof ouch owie”
Distracted Boyfriend:
- Girlfriend: “girlfriend”
- Boyfriend: “me”
- Other woman: “a girl who is not my girlfriend” (Purely literal, no joke)
BHJ vs Regular Memes vs Anti-Memes
Regular meme: Uses template as intended Anti-meme: Describes the image literally BHJ: Creates alternative absurd narrative
Why It’s Funny
The humor comes from:
- Deliberate misuse of familiar formats
- Subverting expectations
- Meta-commentary on memes themselves
- Absurdism
- In-group signaling (understanding requires meme knowledge)
Cultural Impact
BHJ created a new genre of internet humor:
- Meta-memes: Memes about memes
- Surreal humor: Nonsense as comedy
- Deconstruction: Taking memes apart
- Format subversion: Using templates “wrong” on purpose
Community Growth
r/bonehurtingjuice grew from niche community to 500K+ subscribers, spawning:
- Dedicated meme style
- Imitator subreddits
- Crossover with surreal memes
- Influence on meme culture broadly
Controversies
The subreddit faced drama over:
- What counts as “true” BHJ
- Moderator disputes
- Gatekeeping vs accessibility
- Quality standards
Influence on Meme Evolution
BHJ influenced:
- Increased meta-humor in memes
- Format experimentation
- Surrealmemes community
- Anti-meme culture
- Template subversion as comedy
Staying Power
Still active in 2024 because:
- New meme templates provide fresh material
- Format is endlessly adaptable
- Community maintains quality standards
- Appeals to specific humor sensibility
Legacy
Bone Hurting Juice proved that memes could become so self-aware they’d spawn anti-versions of themselves. It demonstrated internet humor’s capacity for meta-commentary and deconstruction.
Related: #AntiMemes #SurrealMemes #MetaHumor #MemeDeconstruction
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