About
Clever Thoughts refers to a single-panel exploitable format based on a humorous diagram of a person’s clever thoughts turning into something incomprehensible or stupid upon an attempt to express them. Originating from a 2011 Tumblr post, the format gained popularity on Twitter in 2020.
Origin
Prior to July 10th, 2011, Tumblr user solowhale posted a humorous diagram which depicted as a person’s clever thoughts got processed into a poorly worded attempt to explain a subject. The post (shown below) received over 87,600 likes and reblogs in nine years.
Spread
The meme did not see further spread until sometime prior to August 18th, 2014, when Tumblr user nippletowns posted an edit of the original meme that received over 630,000 likes and reblogs in five years (shown below, left). On August 18th, 2014, Know Your Meme user ExtraDone archived the meme.
On July 5th, 2015, Tumblr user officialbrotatochip posted a Dan Nicky Your Bobbie s meme based on the image that received over 77,800 likes and reblogs in five years (shown below, right).
The format did not see viral popularity as an exploitable until Spring 2020, when it saw a spike of popularity online, particularly on Twitter. In many examples, the phrase “clever thoughts” has been replaced with articulate arguments, while the speech bubble containing a bastardized version of these arguments. For example, on May 25th, 2020, Twitter user @Shimimoir posted a meme that received over 11,800 retweets and 52,700 likes in three months.
Various Examples
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