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The man, the legend, the incarnation of wit and humor, Dude With Sign cannot be stopped. He’s an overwhelming force of nature on the internet, speaking the truth in a world full of illusions, one silly yet poignant cardboard sign at a time.

The face behind the vastly popular Dude With Sign project is none other than New Yorker Seth Phillips who teamed up together with Jerry Media founder Elliot Tebele to make the project come true. What started out with a simple cardboard sign (“Stop replying-all to company-wide emails”) turned into a massive success, well, not literally overnight, but still within a very impressive few months. Now, two years after launch, Dude With Sign boasts a jaw-dropping 7.7 million followers on Instagram

Our team here at Bored Panda are huge fans of the Dude With Sign project. So much so that we’ve featured Seth and his signs plenty of times before. When you’re done enjoying this list, we invite you to take a stroll down memory lane and see some of his earlier protest signs here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.

More info: Instagram | Twitter

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    AniaSD
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Are you reading all of these slogans in a really loud chanting voice in your head? Or is it just me?

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    The success of the Dude With Sign project comes from its simplicity and focus: it’s all about telling small, sometimes uncomfortable truths in just a handful of words. In a way, it’s practical modern philosophy. With attention spans getting shorter, you have less time to get the message across.

    New Yorker Seth describes what’s wrong with the world and offers a simple solution. Small steps towards a slightly brighter tomorrow.

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    Hilary Mol
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some movies don't even need the original. (I'm looking at you, Twilight franchise.)

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    Yes, every YouTube ad really should be skippable. It might not sound like a lot of time wasted on an individual, but consider all the people around the globe who have to view those pesky ads. (Or, I mean, there are plenty of browser extensions that simply block those ads, so, yeah, give those a try.)

    Yes, you should definitely eat before going grocery shopping, otherwise, you’ll end up buying more food than you need and way too many unhealthy snacks. We’ve all been there. It’s all very relatable because they’re thoughts nearly all of us have had at one point or another. Relatable, bite-sized, witty content is bound to get noticed on the internet. And the Dude With Sign is living proof of this.

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    SykesDaMan
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ... And don't prepare a sandwich for later (a trip, lunch at work, ...) with a full stomach! I've had bad experiences with both conditions.

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    Seth spoke about the account’s success with Forbes back in January 2020. Though the fun little protests started out small, getting some giggles and laughs from passers-by, the reactions grew as time went on. Seth became a recognizable face in New York. A face who could draw a crowd.

    “The corner usually fills up with people within minutes, and everyone has their phones out. When I'm finished, a lot of people will ask to take pictures with me or videos, which is still something to get used to. It's a very strange feeling, but it also kind of cracks me up that people are seeing me as a famous person for holding up cardboard signs,” Seth told Forbes’ Heather Leighton.

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    Vorknkx
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Imaginary money. You pretend to "give" it someone, and they pretend to "take" it from you. But in reality, nothing was transferred between you and them.

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    Paul C.
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Many, many years age my then new girlfriend, now wife of over thirty years, and I went to see a film. First five minutes a group of people chatting and giggling, she stands up and says in no uncertain terms that it would be in their best interest to STFU. Cue a round of applause from the rest of the audience and peace for the rest of the film. I thought yep, she's the one.

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    Seth is a content creator for Jerry Media, helping work on their Instagram meme account and the ‘What Do You Meme’ board game.

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    “So we work in a pretty funny and creative space so once the account kicked off, more ideas came in from the team. When creating the protests, we try to come up with something funny that is relatable that people don't particularly talk about. We try to have each of these elements while appealing to every type of person, which is a big part of why I think the account has accumulated as many followers as it has.”

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    helen anderson
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I HATE when that happens! The store rejects your card and you know the money is there!!!You try to be precise check all bank totals on the app before you go into the store. Get what you need wait in line for you-scan. Scan, bag everything. Put your card in and the lady robot register says "we can not complete your transaction" in a condescending voice. It's like the robot is shaming you! I say under my breath like hell! the money is in there! I do it 2 times same thing until the worker sees what's going on comes over plays with the register then says try again ..that time it works! The worker says in a cherry voice, "there's something wrong in the system " I smile say 😀 in my cheery voice ( because I know it's not her falt)" I think Giant ( name of market) needs a new system! " ..it's just stressful and one of my pet peeves! Lol

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    Brandy Grote
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Gender inequality - urinals mean faster 'service', men can whip it out without halfway undressing, meaning a stealth mission is simpler, and where IS a public womens room that is clean, lockable/secure and safe, and available? If you're pregnant or menstruating, bathroom need can become IMMEDIATE!

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    Born in the tiny town of Hawley, Texas, Seth eventually graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls. He then went on to travel all around Australia before moving to New York for work.

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    “I fell in love with the company, and with New York, so I made the move. New York was a bit of a shock, but it's such a trip and I'm having the best time,” he told Forbes.

    At the time, Seth was still uncertain what the future of the Dude With Sign project held. “I’m still trying to figure [the future] out. Maybe continue making funny accounts? There are interesting opportunities that I would have never imagined coming my way with this all the time. Right now I’m kind of just riding the wave, dipping my toes in different things. I’m just learning, doing my best, and meeting awesome people and I’m confident something awesome will come my way.”

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    Natasha
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wanna join squid game, cuz why not. I might join if gong yoo tells me too, who knows

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    Which of Seth’s newest protest signs were your favorite ones, dear Readers? What do you think of the entire Dude With Sign project? If you live in NYC, have you ever laid eyes on Seth in person? Share your thoughts in the comment section with all the other Pandas.

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    Dasha Slepenkina
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He's funny, but people talking trash on fall bothers me... it just feels like gatekeeping something other people enjoy. I'm not a huge fan of PSLs, but if you love them? Drink them! Cosy blankets and thick socks? They're awesome! Tea and blankets? Yes please! Halloween? Heck, it's better than Christmas! It's a weird thing to say - nobody would hold up a sign that says "We get it, you like the holidays." Let people like what they like.

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    Call Me Mars
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I really miss vines! I memorized all of them from a compilation and think I still remember them all!

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    #31

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    Al Cook
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's an odd thing to be sensitive about though, what, are people ashamed of a certain time of day now or something?

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