About the IQ Bell Curve / Midwit Meme

The IQ Bell Curve or Midwit meme is a popular exploitable format that uses a normal distribution graph to humorously contrast low, average, and high intelligence takes on a given subject. It often features three Wojak characters placed across the IQ curve, with the "Midwit" in the middle offering an overly intellectualized or needlessly complex opinion, while the extremes agree on a simple truth.

Background

The format is rooted in the concept of horseshoe theory—the idea that individuals at the extremes of intelligence (or ideology) can arrive at similar conclusions for different reasons, while those of average intelligence, dubbed midwits, tend to overanalyze and miss the point. The term "midwit" was popularized by blogger Vox Day in 2012, and gained traction on 4chan throughout the 2010s.

One of the earliest memes using the IQ bell curve diagram to make a point appeared on 4chan’s /pol/ board in 2017. However, it wasn’t until December 2018 that the diagram became widely shared, especially in controversial edits. In early 2020, a meme featuring Wojaks across the curve (Brainlet, Crying Midwit, and Enlightened Monk) started trending, with the @owenbroadcast version becoming the definitive template.

How It Began

The "Midwit" term first appeared in internet discourse around 2013 on 4chan, typically used to insult people who believe they are smarter than they are. The meme format solidified in December 2018 with politicized IQ curve charts, but it was the March 2020 4chan thread focused on midwit memes that pushed the format into viral territory.

On July 11th, 2020, Twitter user @owenbroadcast posted a now-iconic version of the meme featuring the Monk and Brainlet agreeing (“if it’s good I do it”) while the Midwit protests with overcomplicated logic. This structure—simple truth > overthinking > return to truth—became the dominant version across X (Twitter), Reddit, and Facebook.

Internet Reaction

The meme resonated with users for its punchy critique of armchair intellectualism and was especially popular in political, gaming, and philosophical discourse. On Reddit, it saw traction on subs like r/dndmemes and r/okbuddyphd, where it was used to poke fun at overprepared Dungeon Masters or overly academic takes.

As the meme evolved, new iterations applied the format to tech skepticism, life advice, history takes, and even media reviews. The format remains a go-to way of signaling that someone is trying too hard to be smart—and missing the obvious point.

Notable Variants

• Tech Bad Meme: Brainlet and Monk reject modern technology; Midwit defends it
• DM Experience Meme: Brainlet and Monk improvise; Midwit overprepares
• Political Takes: Reflecting ideological horseshoe theory using IQ curve logic