When an Entire State Became Surreal Horror
Ohio Memes depict Ohio as a surreal, cursed dimension where reality breaks down and inexplicable phenomena occur. Beginning with “Can’t have shit in Detroit” in 2016 and evolving into “Only in Ohio” by 2022, the memes transformed the Midwest state into internet culture’s favorite punching bag for absurdist horror.
Phase 1: “Can’t Have Shit in Detroit” (2016-2019)
The trend began with tweets joking about crime in Detroit (technically Michigan, but often lumped with Rust Belt imagery):
“Mfs stole my _____. Can’t have shit in Detroit.”
The format implied such extreme theft that increasingly absurd things went missing—doors, entire porches, the concept of safety, abstract ideas. Detroit represented post-industrial collapse as dark comedy.
Phase 2: Ohio as Liminal Horror (2020-2022)
Around 2020-2021, focus shifted specifically to Ohio as:
- Cursed state: Where physics don’t apply, reality glitches occur
- Dimensional portal: Gateway to hell, void, or alternate realities
- Cryptid habitat: Home to impossible creatures and phenomena
- Surrealist playground: Weird encounters, bizarre news stories
Memes featured:
- Security camera footage of strange events captioned “only in ohio”
- Photoshopped surreal images (giant creatures, impossible architecture)
- TikToks of weird Ohio encounters
- “Ohio final boss” depicting apocalyptic scenarios
Phase 3: “Escape from Ohio” & Gen Z (2022-2023)
By 2022, Ohio memes intensified on TikTok among Gen Z:
- “POV: You’re trying to leave Ohio” (horror scenarios)
- Ohio as SCP-like containment zone you can never escape
- Residents gaining superpowers from Ohio’s cursed nature
- Ohio vs. other states in apocalyptic battles
The memes implied Ohio was simultaneously boring AND terrifyingly surreal—nothing happens there, but when something does, it defies reality.
Why Ohio?
Ohio’s selection as cursed state wasn’t entirely random:
- Political swing state: Constantly in news, battleground status
- “Flyover” perception: Culturally overlooked, middle-America stereotype
- Rust Belt aesthetics: Post-industrial decay, abandoned buildings
- Actual weird news: Ohio produced genuinely bizarre Florida-Man-style headlines
- Meme-able name: “Ohio” sounds funny, easy to integrate into formats
Ohioan Response
Actual Ohioans had mixed reactions—some embraced the cursed state identity, creating pro-Ohio memes. Others found the constant mockery tiresome. Tourism boards awkwardly tried to reclaim “Only in Ohio” for positive marketing (it didn’t work).
By late 2023, Ohio memes had peaked and declined, but “only in ohio” remained shorthand for inexplicable weirdness.
Sources:
- Know Your Meme: Ohio Memes and “Can’t Have Shit in Detroit” documentation
- The New York Times: “Why Is Ohio the Internet’s Punching Bag?” (2023)
- TikTok trend analysis (2022-2023)