Meme Overview

The Stonks meme features Meme Man, a character frequently depicted in surreal humor, standing in front of an image of the stock market with the caption 'Stonks.' This intentional misspelling of 'stocks' is often used in reaction images to convey comedic takes on financial decisions and has gained traction in the Meme Stocks community.

How It Began

The Stonks meme originated on June 5th, 2017, when the Facebook page Special Meme Fresh posted the now-iconic image of Meme Man in front of a stock market illustration, captioned 'STONKS.' This initial post garnered significant engagement, with over 3,600 likes and reactions.

Meme Evolution

In the months following its debut, the Stonks image spread across various online platforms. On July 3rd, 2017, it was shared on /r/Ooer, receiving over 400 points. A notable YouTube video by HallucinatoryMenu on February 9th, 2018, featured the word 'stonks' read with heavy reverb, amassing over 19,000 views. By March 15th, an edited version of the meme appeared in an Imgur photo dump, reaching over 131,000 views. The meme continued to evolve, inspiring variations such as 'I'll Take Your Entire Stock' and other humorous adaptations in 2019, particularly within communities discussing Meme Stocks.

Usage in Meme Stock Communities

Within Meme Stock communities, notably on /r/WallStreetBets, 'Stonks' has become a popular term. It is often used to describe investments in struggling companies like GameStop, reflecting a humorous approach to market manipulation and speculation following events like the GameStop short squeeze.