TIHI (Thanks, I Hate It) expresses visceral disgust toward cursed images, unsettling concepts, or disturbing information you can’t unsee. The phrase originated on Reddit February 2017 as reaction to uncomfortable content—acknowledging you’ve seen something while wishing you hadn’t.
r/TIHI Origins
The subreddit launched February 15, 2017, dedicated to sharing content that provokes immediate regret: photorealistic teeth on animals, food combinations that shouldn’t exist, anatomically incorrect fan art, cursed product designs, and disturbing “fun facts” that ruin everyday experiences.
Early viral posts included furry tooth brushes (bristles that look like hair follicles), human-faced dogs, spaghetti sandwiches, and “wet socks texture” ice cream. Each provoked the same reaction: “Thanks for sharing, but I hate everything about this.”
Format & Usage
TIHI posts typically follow formula: “Thanks, I hate [specific disturbing element]” as title, followed by cursed image/video/text. The “thanks” adds polite irony—acknowledging the post while expressing disgust. The format works because it validates shared discomfort.
Unlike pure shock content, TIHI requires creative cursedness. The best posts make you laugh uncomfortably while recoiling. Too gross = just disturbing. Too weird = just random. TIHI sweet spot: conceptually wrong but undeniably creative.
Community Growth (2018-2021)
The subreddit exploded from 100K members (2018) to 1M+ (2020) to 2M+ (2023). Instagram accounts like @thanks.i.hate.this curated TIHI content for 1.5M+ followers. Twitter adopted “thanks I hate it” as reaction format for cursed tweets, bad takes, and disturbing news.
Common TIHI categories: anatomically incorrect animals, cursed food (bone-in pizza, aspic everything), skin-crawling textures described in detail, products solving problems nobody had, and r/DiWHY crossover content (unnecessary DIY abominations).
Cultural Impact
“Thanks I hate it” entered mainstream vocabulary as response to uncomfortable situations: unwanted gifts, cringe social media posts, disturbing movie scenes, political developments. The phrase communicated “I acknowledge this exists but wish it didn’t” more eloquently than simple disgust.
TIHI differed from cringe culture by targeting creations rather than creators. The discomfort came from concepts themselves—not mocking individuals. This made TIHI safer space for shared revulsion without bullying.
Relationship to Adjacent Formats
TIHI overlapped with but distinct from: cursed images (visual focus), blursed images (mixed emotions), r/MakeMeSuffer (extreme discomfort), and r/DiWHY (unnecessary DIY). TIHI emphasized creative cursedness—impressively disturbing ideas executed competently enough to haunt you.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TIHI/ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/thanks-i-hate-it