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Cover image for blog post: The Origins and Rise of the “Two Buttons” Meme

The Origins and Rise of the “Two Buttons” Meme

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Started as a small comic from Jake Clark on Tumblr has become a cultural staple of internet humor.

In the vast ocean of internet imagery, few meme formats have proved as versatile and enduring as the one commonly known as the “Two Buttons” meme. At its core, it's a simple, two-panel comic: in the first panel a hand hovers uncertainly over two large red buttons; in the second panel a man, sweating profusely, wipes his brow, clearly anguished by the decision. But behind this relatively simple visual lies a story of creation, adaptation, and cultural resonance. In this blog post, we’ll delve into its origin, the key factors in its spread, its cultural impact, and why it remains relevant today.

1. The Birth: Creation and Early Life

The original comic strip was created by animator and artist Jake Clark, who posted it on his Tumblr on October 25, 2014. (Know Your Meme)

In the original version, the buttons were labelled “BE A DICK” and “DON’T BE A DICK”. The man is visibly distressed, wiping sweat as he looks at the two equally bad (or good) choices. (ao3commentoftheday.tumblr.com)

Clark has noted that the inspiration came from a combination of earlier visuals: the “Sweating Towel Guy” illustration (an image of a man wiping sweat from his brow) and the character “Hank Nova” from the video game TimeSplitters 2. (Meming Wiki)

In short: the comic was meant as a humorous, almost absurd take on internal conflict—having two competing choices, neither of which is clearly “right,” yet the stress is real.

2. Early Spread: How It Went Viral

Shortly after its posting on Tumblr, the image began spreading. On February 1 2015, a user on the image-sharing site Imgur uploaded the comic under the title “Daily Struggle”, where it garnered over a million views. (Know Your Meme)

From Imgur it made its way to platforms like Reddit (specifically subreddits like r/funny), where users added their own captions and contexts. For example, a version might show one button labeled “Go to bed early” and the other “Stay up to watch one more episode”, highlighting relatable dilemmas. (Know Your Meme)

Because the template was so flexible—it could fit serious debates, light-hearted jokes, political satire, personal dilemmas—it spread rapidly. Many meme-generating sites added template variants, and soon the format became a go-to for illustrators of choice-based humor. (Piñata Farms)

3. Why It Resonates: Anatomy & Psychology of the Meme

a) Visual Simplicity

The format is visually clean: two buttons, a hand, a sweating man. No clutter. That simplicity makes it easy to understand immediately, even at small sizes in feeds.

b) Universal Theme of Decision Making

We all face choices, dilemmas, contradictions. The format captures the feeling of being “stuck” between two options. As one analysis puts it, the meme “represents the universal dilemma … having to choose between two options.” (Mytour.vn)

c) Flexibility and Remix-ability

Because the buttons are unlabeled originally (or rather, labeled simply), users can insert whatever text fits their situation. That means it can be about trivial life decisions (e.g., “Eat healthy” vs “Order pizza”), serious moral dilemmas, political hypocrisy, etc. This adaptability helps memes spread faster.

d) Emotional Cue: Sweating = Stress

The visual of the man sweating—even exaggeratedly—adds the emotional cue of urgency or inner conflict. It's not just a choice; it's a hard choice. That exaggeration heightens comedic effect.

4. Variations & Evolution

While the original had the two buttons with the “BE A DICK / DON’T BE A DICK” captions, the meme evolved in several ways:

  • Blank Template: Many users drop in custom button text; template generators let anyone fill in their own labels. (Piñata Farms)
  • “Both Buttons Pressed” Variant: A more recent twist shows the character pressing both buttons at once—implying contradictory desires or embracing both options. (Know Your Meme)
  • Thematic Uses: Some versions tackle gender debates, political contradictions, lifestyle choices, fandom jokes, etc. For instance: “People can be born the wrong gender” vs “Gender is a social construct”. (Know Your Meme)

These variants show the meme’s flexibility and how it can reflect cultural or political commentary, not just everyday humour.

5. Cultural Impact & Memetic Longevity

Though it emerged in 2014, the “Two Buttons” meme has stayed in circulation for years. That’s partly because of its adaptability but also because it taps into a shared human experience: decision-making with stress.

For example, in 2020 the format was used by students in an online assignment about academic integrity referenced by Dalhousie University. They used the sweating button-meme to illustrate dilemmas like “Cheat on the online final to increase GPA” vs “Actually deserve my degree”. (Welcome to Dalhousie University)

The meme has found its place not only in casual social media but also in educational contexts, commentary pieces, and even marketing (when appropriately used). It’s become part of the meme-lingua.

6. What This Tells Us About Internet Culture

Meme as Shared Language

Memes like this function as a kind of shorthand: you don’t need a long explanation—just the image and context. The “Two Buttons” format communicates “hard choice, stress, hesitation” immediately.

Creative Participation

Because the template invites remixing, it becomes a participatory culture: everyone makes their version. That sort of “open” format is central to meme culture: not only consumption, but creation.

Reflective of Choice-Heavy Modern Life

In modern culture, we often have many choices (some trivial, some heavy), and social media often highlight contradictions (for example: “I want to eat healthy / I also want dessert”). The meme reflects and exaggerates that tension.

Visual Over Text-Heavy

Memes work because our media consumption is fast. A picture of two buttons and a sweating man conveys in seconds what might take paragraphs in text. That makes this format especially shareable.

7. Critiques & Limitations

While the “Two Buttons” meme is popular, it’s not without criticism:

  • Over-use & Template Fatigue: As with all widely used memes, over-use can make the format stale. Some users may skip over it because they’ve seen countless versions.
  • Simplicity vs Depth: Because it relies heavily on the visual + caption contrast, the humour or commentary may stay shallow. Complex nuance sometimes gets lost.
  • Potential for Offensive Use: Any template can be used for good or ill. Some versions of the meme have entered contentious areas (politics, ideology) where the image’s simplicity may oversimplify serious issues.

8. Tips for Using or Remixing It (Especially for Creators)

  • Keep the emotion clear: The sweating man image conveys stress. If your labels are too bland, you lose the effect.
  • Context matters: The labels should contrast or conflict in a meaningful way—either in tone or logic.
  • Stay readable: The meme works best when text is short and sharp—memes aren’t poetry.
  • Watch your audience: If you’re using it in a professional or educational context, adapt tone accordingly (less crass humour unless appropriate).
  • Respect copyright / credit if needed: While the template has entered broad circulation, if you're publishing commercially you might check the original creator’s terms.

9. Why It Still Works Today

Even a decade later, the “Two Buttons” meme remains relevant for several reasons:

  • Choice overload: With social media, apps, streaming, global communication—our lives have more choices, more “which button do I press?” moments.
  • Short attention spans: Quick visuals dominate, and meme formats that convey a complex feeling in seconds thrive.
  • Evergreen theme: Internal conflict, indecision, hypocrisy—they’re universal, across cultures and eras.
  • Template freedom: Because people can plug in their own ideas, the meme renews itself with new contexts (work, fandoms, politics, lifestyle, etc.).

10. Final Thoughts

What started as a small comic from Jake Clark on Tumblr has become a cultural staple of internet humour. The “Two Buttons” meme proves that simplicity + emotion + participatory structure = staying power. It gives us a voice for those moments when we’re stuck, when neither path seems easy, and the pressure is real.

In the end, the meme is about us—our decisions, our contradictions, our inability (sometimes) to pick one clear direction. And in a way, that’s why it’s so enduring: because it’s human.

References

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