What makes you cringe? Is it witnessing someone try to flirt in the most awkward way? Or maybe looking at photos of yourself from middle school does it? Contrary to what your parents told you, that combination of bangs and braces did not look amazing! We’re all capable of engaging in some cringey behavior, whether it’s forgetting to mute yourself in a Zoom meeting with all of your colleagues or participating in TikTok trends that should probably be left to teenagers. But there’s something about the internet that seems to make individuals even more prone to engaging in full-on cringe.
And no one knows that better than the followers of Cringetopia on Twitter. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most painful tweets from this account dedicated to documenting “the worst of the worst on the internet”, so you’ve been warned: you might be cringing incredibly hard by the end.
Keep reading to also find an interview with an expert on the topic: host of the Watch Cringe podcast, Brendan, and try to enjoy this list (despite the fact that it might end up causing you physical pain). Be sure to upvote all of the pics that you couldn’t help but get a kick out of, and then, if you can somehow handle even more second-hand embarrassment, you can find another Bored Panda article featuring similar content right here!
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The Cringetopia Twitter account has only been around since January 2021, but it has already amassed an impressive 105k followers. Despite the pain that it must cause those individuals, apparently, they can’t get enough of this embarrassing content. So we decided to do some investigating into what exactly “cringe” is and why the internet so obsessed with it. According to Wiktionary, the word “cringe” is derived from a combination of the Middle English word ‘crengen’, which means “to bend in a haughty manner” or to condescend, the Proto-Germanic word ‘krangijaną’, which means “to cause to fall” or “to cause to turn”, and several other Danish, Dutch, Scottish and West Frisian words essentially all meaning to turn away.
The way that we use cringe today, however, is an almost inexplicable experience or feeling, according to Saumya Kalia, a writer at The Swaddle. She describes cringing as “a curled upper lip, a wrinkle on the nose, a weighted sneer, a shake of the head from side to side. To the assault on grammar, excessive displays of human emotions, fashion that was meant to die, any and every behavior that forgets social norms.” She explains that we’re all prone to experiencing and feeling cringe, so perhaps, it’s best to just embrace it.
What kind of insensitive nosy pig would post this about a complete stranger??
“The history of cringe is rooted in social submission,” Kalia writes for The Swaddle. “What reached its peak through the internet culture first originated in the Old English; cringan was the word to describe ‘to fall, to yield in battle, to give way, to become bent, to curl up.’ Cringan became cringe sometime in the 16th century when it introduced the feelings of fear and embarrassment to ‘bending’ or ‘crouching.’ Finally, by the 19th century, the meaning had cemented itself; cringe meant to ‘recoil in embarrassment, shame, or fear’.”
And over the past couple decades, cringe content has become increasingly popular, with hit shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Nathan For You gaining massive popularity. We watch these programs and laugh, partially from discomfort and partially because the situations the characters put themselves in are just too hilarious. But as Kalia explains in her article discussing the cultural history of cringe, “Watching train wrecks in fictionalized worlds spilled into a desire to mock those in real life.” Today, there are countless accounts like Cringetopia on Instagram, Reddit and TikTok calling out the lack of self-awareness so many people seem to exhibit in real life and online. There is certainly no shortage of cringe content to be found.
To learn even more about the painful and elusive topic of cringe, we reached out to Brendan, host of the podcast Watch Cringe, and he was kind enough to have a chat with us. First, we wanted to know what inspired Brendan, and his co-host Jay, to start a show dedicated to this topic. “We started the podcast because it’s highly entertaining and has a few lessons to teach the audience,” he told Bored Panda. “We want to normalize the cringe, so people can realize to not take life too seriously, but also to learn how to be better.”
Oh my ! I was wondering why this was a "bad" one, I didn't realize the bottom was before and the top is now, I thought it was the opposite way around
Cringe can be a subjective topic, so we were curious how Brendan likes to define it. “Cringe equals ‘shared embarrassment’. When someone does something ‘cringe’, it usually highlights that person's inability to be socially appropriate,” he explained. “Meaning it’s usually when someone [messes] up or is just really uncool. For example, uncool dad jokes make you cringe because you feel embarrassed for the dad and everyone in the room. Or let’s say a dude is showing off a Venus fist (feminist) tattoo at a bar to pick up babes. That’s cringe because it’s obvious he didn’t get that tattoo out of sincerity; he’s basically acting like a tool bag.”
It's not just $3k or $2k though, it's holiday time at work, it's child care, it's that amount per person, it's all the extra costs on top like insurance, spending money, vaccinations for Thailand etc (including an expensive registry by the sounds of it!) Most people can only have one holiday a year and don't want to spend it at your wedding, especially as you sound insufferable
Brendan was also willing to share one of his own personal moments of cringe with us. “On one of my first dates with a girl, I asked her if she was on the spectrum because I thought she was like me,” he told Bored Panda. “She didn’t like that line of questioning, but guess what: she’s my fiancé now! This type of cringe is because the cringer is unaware of how their words can affect other people’s feelings.” That may have been cringey in the moment, but I’m glad to hear the story had a happy ending!
Show of hands; Who would bet he "kissed" a man posing as a girl on Reddit?
And lucky for all of us (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it), Brendan says no one is immune to being cringey. “The cringe is unavoidable,” he told Bored Panda. “It’s a part of human ancestry. Look to our past, present, and future, and you will find that entire countries are cringe. France stole a 3,000 year old obelisk from Egypt, shipped it to France on a boat, and set it up in the middle of a traffic circle!” It’s true. It’s called the Luxor Obelisk, and you can read about it right here.
So he's not your husband, he's not in the armed forces and he never went to that school... wow!
Finally, Brendan left us with some wise words about our cringey behavior. “The world needs to highlight it and embrace it,” he shared. “It’s like having a big pimple on your face. It’s worse if you try to hide it. Just own it, and be better next time.”
If you’d like to hear some painfully cringey stories, accompanied by hilarious commentary, be sure to check out Brendan’s podcast Watch Cringe right here or follow the show on Instagram right here!
What's really cringe is posting pictures of children on social media without their parents consent.
nah, that's worse cause then you don't have privacy
Load More Replies...The hoodie the person is wearing is called ahegao hoodie. Ahegao is the expression an anime character makes during their orgasm
Load More Replies...There's probably a very good chance this kid has no idea what it is. Like a lot of commenters here, he probably thinks it's some cool-looking anime face. I wouldn't be surprised if he got it as a gift from a parent or other relative that thought, hey! Anime! He'll love it! At that age, probably no students thinks it's anything but an anime hoodie.
Yep, 47 yr old parent here of a 23 yr old anime loving girl. My clueless brain bought this exact print in a hoodie for my daughter for her 22nd birthday a year ago and she's still laughing 😂
Load More Replies...Ohhh, I had a classmate like that. He was even worse than you would expect him to be.
I mean maybe him and his parents don’t know and thinks its just a character off pokemon or something? cos im 25 and a dumb innocent bean i had no idea 😬
Porn. Not joking or being sarcastic, it's literal porn.
Load More Replies...Unfortunately, the teenager is wearing an ahegao shirt which is a form of Japanese pornography or hentai. Ahegao refers to the face that is often made when someone is orgasming. Definitely not something you would want to school...
Load More Replies...Holy c**p, I got busted for a Bart Simpson t-shirt and this guy's wearing hentai?
Once when I was in sixth grade there was a really cool edgy store next to a hot topic so ofc I begged my mom to go in with me, and she points to a shirt (knowing I love anime) and goes oh do you know who that character is? It said hèntîä down the side and the girl was in a very suggestive pose. I just laughed and said nooo…. I think she knows what it means now but lmao.
A copy paste from my previous comment “The hoodie the person is wearing is called ahegao hoodie. Ahegao is the expression an anime character makes during their orgasm”
Load More Replies...Does anyone know the song "Soft Boy?" Well I know exactly what you're thinking
For anybody wondering, the face on the hoodie is called "Ahegao" - a trope in anime and hentai that's supposed to display extreme sexual pleasure. (Sometimes I regret grewing up with the internet...)
The faces that the character is making on the shirt is called ahegao in Japanese. It is a form of light pornography (hentai). The face is supposed to represent someone having an orgasm.
Load More Replies...I think liking anime in 6th grade is okay unless I’m missing something?
Who are you talking about? the person in the cringy anime shirt or the one in Pepsi inspired tie dye
The Pepsi inspired tie dye hoodie is cool as hell. It must be the waifu hoodie.
Load More Replies...I just gotta say, WHAT THE F—
We're not talking about his size...it's his jacket print that's the problem.
Load More Replies...Maybe she just has a fever or is really thirsty 🥵 kidding I know it’s ahegao
First of all, I really don't think the boy is at all aware of the significance of the "pattern" printed on his hoodie, otherwise he wouldn't have worn it to school where no doubt one/some of his teachers would have immediately recognized it and called him (and his parents) out, and secondly, judging from the amount of "knowledgeable" comments, I'm amazed - no judgement intended - that so many people knew exactly what it meant and therefore seem to be VERY familiar with the - albeit light - form of Japanese porn that it originates from... But what do I know (or am missing out on ?) because the only type of Japanese cartoons that I am familiar are manga cartoons, e.g. "Sailor Moon", which was my daughter's favourite when she was a child, and "Astro Boy", my own favourite when I was a child... (And no, I haven't been subjected to the proverbial "mushroom treatment", i.e., kept in the dark and fed bullsh*t...)
With what ive heard and seen from little children, i think it's very likely he knows what this is. His parents may even know but just don't care, like all of the parents who let their kids wear playboy bunny clothes.
Load More Replies...Kinda goes to show how important it is to talk to our kids about sx before they go looking it up themselves or learn about it at school 🤷♀️. My plan is to educate my kid so well that there's no mystery and it's working so far!
We're not really shaming anyone, though the parents should be lut to shame, we're just a bit icked that a child is wearing a jacket with porn on it.
Load More Replies...this anime orgasim face has become popular lately. I get that it's a porn fetish, but wearing it in public... and a kid. What the heck?
I ordered a semi-dressy, plain black blouse from Amazon and they sent me something similar instead. Mistake or bad joke? No way to know. At least it was easy to return.
It's not like we're bullying him💀 just worried about him is all.
Load More Replies...There was a kid in my 5th grade with a very similar hoodie, just a more well-known design. How the hell did her parents agree to buy it for her is something I will never know.
What? No💀 what??? We're talking about the porn on his jacket.
Load More Replies...My school would have dragged me out of school, dress coded me and gotten In School Suspension! HES Lucky!! LOL 😂
I apologize for my ignorance but I don't get this one... is the character in the hoodie from something questionable? or is it just because he likes manga etc?
I recommend you read some of the replies from people asking the same question. I think @Loki's_Lil_Butterknife 's comment explains it best
Load More Replies...looks like a sixth grader from the school i go to. they are seriously messed up
I have no idea why your are being downvoted. I agree that it shameful to bully a child or a teenager. I have a feeling that the teenager doesn't fully understand that his shirt would be considered pornographic. The overly exaggerated flushed face of the anime character on the shirt is called ahegao. Ahegao is actually a form of pornography or hentai. The face is supposed to represent someone having an orgasm. I have a feeling that a parent or grandparent probably got the shirt and had no idea of its meaning.
Load More Replies...poor guy. got exposed too young, that sh1ts traumatizing
I can't explain how many kids have this at my middle school
Inappropriate but maybe he likes it for other reasons... Don't judge. :D
I am severely judging someone who wears hentai stuff in front of kids
Load More Replies...In 1990 I showed up to 6th grade wearing a Madonna in lingerie tshirt that I wore I think twice a week that whole year and no one said anything about it. Be you kid, because the second you stop, it means you been broken and that's not any good place to be.
Are you supporting this child wearing porn? Let's hope you never go near kids.
Load More Replies...According to Melissa Dahl, a senior editor at The Cut and author of Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness, indulging in cringe content for fun is actually similar to experiencing nightmares, as far as our brains are concerned. “It’s our brains giving us a dose of exposure therapy,” she told Vox. “Maybe the same thing is happening for people who are drawn to cringey content, [maybe they’re] people whose deepest fear is being ostracized or made to look like a fool.”
“I think [cringe content] is a controlled way of facing this really deep fear. It’s funny to talk about being embarrassed during the year 2020 when there’s such scary things going on,” Dahl continued, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “But, like, there’s nothing scarier than being cast out on your own and laughed out of the group!”
One of the beauties of the written word is you can elucidate your thoughts far more effectively than with speech. I don’t understand why anyone would give up that advantage.
Are you feeling a little better about all of the cringey things you’ve ever done? Because clearly, it can always get worse! We hope you’re getting a kick out of these photos pandas, but remember, none of us are immune to the cringe. So don't get too cocky... Keep upvoting your favorite photos, and then if you want to experience even more second-hand embarrassment, you can find another Bored Panda article featuring painfully cringey content right here!
Ew... that's just weird, I hope he at least asked the kids first if this was ok
I feel like I know exactly what this guy looks like and everything he owns is probably sticky and there's a lot of axe bodyspray everywhere.
Fun fact, the actual Cringetopia subreddit went private (aka got shut down) because it eventually devolved into a racist, homophobic cesspool.
Didn't someone hack it and make it so you couldn't type? Just use emojis?
Load More Replies...most of these people should suffer from their shame! except nikado he needs therapy and a salad
Someone commented that it's watching slow motion self (unalived). That's hauntingly accurate 😖
Load More Replies...I have been stuck on the highway for the past 2 hours because of 2 accidents literally 1 car ahead of me. Semi on fire, and another in pieces. On the plus side, the city of Beloit, WI firefighters are very nice. They have come and checked on me 5 times. I think this is the only time it is okay to be on your phone on the highway lol.
***How's it going now, Zephyr? Just looked at the news. You're in the middle of that mess? Can you walk to exit and have family bring blankets and food?
Load More Replies...Fun fact, the actual Cringetopia subreddit went private (aka got shut down) because it eventually devolved into a racist, homophobic cesspool.
Didn't someone hack it and make it so you couldn't type? Just use emojis?
Load More Replies...most of these people should suffer from their shame! except nikado he needs therapy and a salad
Someone commented that it's watching slow motion self (unalived). That's hauntingly accurate 😖
Load More Replies...I have been stuck on the highway for the past 2 hours because of 2 accidents literally 1 car ahead of me. Semi on fire, and another in pieces. On the plus side, the city of Beloit, WI firefighters are very nice. They have come and checked on me 5 times. I think this is the only time it is okay to be on your phone on the highway lol.
***How's it going now, Zephyr? Just looked at the news. You're in the middle of that mess? Can you walk to exit and have family bring blankets and food?
Load More Replies...