Humor helps us learn far more about the world than if we were super serious all the time. Grab some facts and social insights, throw in a bunch of comedy, add a good dash of current events, mold everything into the shape of a meme, and you have something truly special.
That’s where the r/2westerneurope4u online community comes in. It’s a popular subreddit that encourages people to post memes about life in Western Europe. They encourage users to make and share ironic memes about the countries in the region, and they are absolutely hilarious. You’re bound to enjoy them whether you’re living in Europe or just went to visit the Old World on holiday. We’ve collected some of their funniest memes to share with you, Pandas, so scroll down to check them out.
We got in touch with the friendly team running r/2westerneurope4u. The head moderator, u/rex-ac, explained to Bored Panda that the subreddit is a "European oasis," shed some light on the community's "rough past," and how the members still have regular discussions about what countries should be added to the list of Western European ones. Read on for our interview with u/rex-ac.
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One Of My Favourite Things Ever Is The 300 Year Gap In Irish Inventions After Whiskey Was Invented
The head moderator, u/rex-ac, told Bored Panda about the community and its goals. "2westerneurope4u started about a year ago as a place to share ironic ultranationalistic memes. Before someone can participate in our subreddit, we require that the user chooses a 'country flair' and thereby aligns himself to a certain country or region within a country. Once a user chooses a flair, we encourage him to defend his country/region and talk smack about others."
According to the mod, the subreddit is "a place for European fun," even if it can sometimes seem like the opposite to an outside visitor. "Even if our users are 'insulting' each other, they are all in on the fun. We encourage insults to be clever/witty and not too hurtful," they explained.
Didn't Know France Is Based
Most Brit-Loving Post On R/Ireland
The head mod was candid that r/2westerneurope4u has had a rough past. They revealed that the subreddit was started up by redditor u/prinsgezinde who "suddenly disappeared from the platform." That was when Reddit decided to close the community down for having no moderator.
"I was a user of the subreddit and missed the fun I was having here, so in November 2022, I requested to become a moderator for this subreddit to get it reopened again. My idea was to make 2westerneurope4u a 'European oasis' inside the American platform that is Reddit. I wanted to have a place where we could be edgy, talk about each other's positives and negatives, and generally have fun. A place where our European norms and values would come first," u/rex-ac shared their vision for the subreddit with Bored Panda.
"I think this 'European oasis' idea is one of the reasons why the sub is so successful. We now have a place within Reddit where all Europeans come together to make fun of each other, but where we will also band together if an outsider makes fun of us," the head mod explained what the dynamics of the group look like. What stands out as well is that r/2westerneurope4u has a sense of community that you'd be hard-pressed to find in many other subreddits.
Worst Names In Europe?
How The Tables Have Turned
I wouldn't normally pick holes in a post, but surely that should be 1892? Haha I can see since the original post has now been amended from 1982 to 1922. Thanks to the guys that responded with the correct information.
Common European W. Americans Can't Even Fathom A House Not Made Out Of Cheap Glued Sawdust Board And Drywall
"We are a community where we have our own inside jokes and VIP users. We also have moderators that unlike in the rest of Reddit are approachable and part of the community. Anyone can hit us up with suggestions or concerns, and we actually care about and answer our users," u/rex-ac pointed out that the moderator team is very actively engaged with what's going on.
"I think there is a sense of belonging here. It's that 'x-factor' that you will only find in a handful of subs on Reddit. That is why we are growing so hard and why I believe that within the next 3 months, we will be the second-largest European subreddit."
Currently Praying For Them
Meh it’s not that bad. We have healthcare and free speech. Some countries can only manage one or the other. Or neither, like the US.
Average European Men And Women
Siesta Time
Meanwhile, Bored Panda was incredibly interested to get to grips with how the subreddit itself defines what is and isn't a Western European country, keeping in mind that there are many different ways to classify the region.
"We are going by the list of countries that u/prinsgezinde [the original founder] made when he started the sub. The original list included the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Switzerland, and Austria. Over time, we have made some adjustments to add some nations that we feel belong on the list. The list now includes, for example, Gibraltar, Malta, Greenland, and other micronations that weren't in the original list," u/rex-ac explained that the list isn't set in stone.
"We have regular discussions about whether countries should be added to the list or not. Many Czechs, Croats, and Estonians have argued that their countries should be part of the sub, because they share the same Western European values that we all have. As of today, the Czechs and Croats haven't been able to convince the rest of the community to be added to our definition of Western Europe, but we do give them special treatment by giving them their own flairs so they can join in on the fun."
Least Insane French Riot
Average German After Work
German = Silliest Language
The ‘2 Western Europe 4 U’ community is actually pretty new to the internet. It was founded just under a year ago, and will be celebrating its first birthday on April 9.
Over the past year, the subreddit has drawn in quite a big following. At the time of writing, the online group has just over 100k members, which the sub calls ‘trolls.’ Meanwhile, the members who are currently online are referred to as ‘Fr*nch users.’ (Yes, with the asterisk, joking that being French is something so shameful that the word ought to be censored).
The subreddit describes itself as a place for “ironic ultranationalistic memes about Western European countries.” The moderator team running the whole project points out that, “You will learn more about European culture here than anywhere else on Reddit.”
And they're not wrong about that. Humor helps us remember information far better because it activates our brain's reward system.
I Hate It
Most Sociable German
Southern Europeans Would Be Really Upset Right Now If They Could Read
“Be proud of your country! Defend it with all your heart and play/fight along with all our battles. Please don’t be a hater though,” they encourage people to have fun on the sub while still remembering that any bickering about whose country is better is all done for show. It’s ironic play-acting for the sake of giggles, so don’t forget that while you’re enjoying the memes.
The r/2westerneurope4u subreddit defines Western Europe in their sidebar as comprising the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Denmark (including Greenland), Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Switzerland, Austria, Flanders, and Wallonia.
However, this isn’t the only way to look at the region. How you define Western Europe will depend on a range of factors, like geography and cultural values. There are slight differences in classification depending on what organization or political body you listen to.
Common Western W
Spoken vs. Written Language
They Thought We Wouldnt Noticed
So, for instance, the United Nations classifies Western Europe as being made up of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. This isn’t how other organizations describe the region.
The CIA, for example, classifies the region of Western Europe as comprising Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Andorra, Portugal, and Spain make up the Southwestern European region, according to the CIA.
My View On Europe, As An Irishman
UK You Ok?
Please Guys Stop, I Need Some Rest
The multilingual thesaurus EuroVoc, maintained by the Publications Office of the EU, identifies the Western Europe subgroup which includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Based
Average European City Versus Average American City
Should We Send Some Over?
Meanwhile, The Western European and Others Group, an unofficial Regional Group in the UN, is far more inclusive and identifies these countries as part of the region: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Australia, Canada, Israel, and New Zealand are also members of WEGO while the United States acts as an observer.
Common Rome W
How To Piss A Lot Of People Off; Step 1
My Thoughts On Europe, As An Englishman
The beauty of travel is that you broaden your horizons, expand your knowledge about the world and different cultures, and understand your own identity better as a result. And that’s the entire point—being open to new experiences. If you’re traveling abroad and expect everything to be the exact same as in your hometown, you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure.
You Can't Deny It
Grève-Land
You’re All Awful, But I Love You
Before you start booking your tickets and packing your suitcase, do some background research about the country’s history and culture. If you can, take the time to learn a few basic phrases that you could use to communicate with the locals. It’s easy to make friends when someone sees that you’re putting in the effort to respect their language and customs.
You Know It To Be True
Pigs Talking S**t About Nordic Food. Meanwhile:
They deserve it. Gastronomic Scandinavian food is excellent, on par with the best French, Japanese or Italian. But the everyday casual food is another thing :)
Especially Dutch Sounds Like A F#cked Up Offspring Mix Between German And English
You Guys Say The UK Doesn't Have Good Food
Never, EVER mock American food again. EVER. That is so disgusting.
Speaking From Experience 😎
Problem Of Corruption
Based
Fun (?) fact: Germany made its last World War One reparations debt payment on October 3, 2010—the 20th anniversary of German reunification. NB: that's WWI (1914-1918) Treaty of Versailles.
Iq Map Of Europe. Belgium, Explain Yourselves?
That's because nobody cares about us, so they didn't bother to test us
And I Will Die On That Hill
Italy Can’t Western Europe
No Reason?!
Bruh Even Illegal Immigrants Are Starting To Call France A S**thole
(before I get downvoted, I insist that it's a joke ;))
Load More Replies...THIS is not a really article and this is not what the people were protesting against. The sign says: "mineurs isolés en danger" which means "unaccompanied minors at risk". This one is not funny, it's shabby and as the comments show, it leads to prejudices towards immigrants.
And no-one invited France to make African colonies in the 18th century.
Load More Replies...Translate the sign. The article is BS. They were protesting the dangerous conditions of unaccompanied children. Kids weren’t being protected.
Load More Replies...Yeah, I volunteered to help migrants in France, and let me tell you we treat them like s**t. They have the right to be treated as human being, paper or not. And they are right to protest for it. Here the police harrass them, cut their tents, beat them. "No gathering policy" they call it. They are forbidden to work, even if they want to, we put them in "CRA" (basically prisons) without trial, we tell minor they are too old to benefit from school or help, etc... The title is missleading and make them look like Karens. The people I helped and pissed off by our government weren't Karens, they were enslaved in Libya, almost died many times during their journey, fleed political assassinations. All of that to be disposed of in a prison and then sent back to die in a plane.
This one is not very funny. The way migrants are treated in France is an utter shame.
Lots of negative comments on here about immigration and other comments we can't reply to because they've been down-voted so much. Countries such as France and Britain historically made a fortune by making empires, invading countries, taking natural resources. But when people from these countries come back to the "mother land" they're often viewed negatively. Bring on the down votes if necessary but people need to realise this is part of the legacy of empire, just one that is not in the favour on the the empire builders.
" Countries such as France and Britain historically made a fortune by making empires, invading countries, taking natural resources" . So did Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Portugal and USA !
Load More Replies...And this is why it's important to try and show migrants what to realistically expect BEFORE they journey to Europe.
Then they get on a boat and cross the English Channel, because we do give them free housing & welfare.
It's not uncommon that migrants have higher exception of the new country. That's not a frensh thing.
The " REALITY " is :" MEANWHILE AFRICAN DICTATORS KEEP PLUNDERING THEIR COUNTRIES, OPENING BANK ACCOUNTS IN SWITZERLAND, BUYING FANCY PROPERTIES IN WESTERN EUROPE, AND LAUGH OUT LOUD WHEN THEIR PEOPLE KEEP BLAMING EUROPE FOR IT " Now these dictators invite CHINA and RUSSIA to participate in the plundering !
FACTS : Wed 4 May 2022 : " Russian mercenaries in Africa have been linked to massacres in which several hundred civilians have died, raising new fears about the impact of Moscow’s intensifying interventions on the stability and security of countries across the continent. According to data compiled by the NGO Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), as many as 456 civilians died in nine incidents involving Malian forces and Wagner between January and mid-April this year." Russian mercenaries have mounted a series of bloody attacks on artisanal mines in the lawless border zones between Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR) in an effort to plunder the region’s valuable gold trade, witnesses and experts have said. Dozens of miners are thought to have died in at least three major attacks this year allegedly involving mercenaries working for the Wagner Group." 2022-09-15...0377f8.jpg
Load More Replies...Fun fact: before I decided to study in the UK, I thought that all of London is Chelsea and everything outside of London is the Cotswolds. Simply put, Britain has an excellent PR. So before I stumbled upon the DM, this is pretty much how I imagined it to be. I imagine, for people from the former French colonies it's a similar experience where France equals palaces and champagne.
Did they confused France with Germany? Because our government can't get enough from yelling "Everybody over here!" - No matter what s**t happens on a weekly basis....
They lost everything they had to that one Nigerian prince on the internet.
FACT : " Mixed Marriages Now Account For 27 Per Cent of Unions in France. UK : july 2014 : Nearly one in 10 couples are now ethnically mixed, according to an official analysis revealed today. According to 2015 comparisons from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, France had a higher percentage of so-called mixed marriages than the U.S., UK, Korea, Japan, Spain, Italy or Germany. France is now the country with the highest inflow of family migrants in Europe. the percentage of mixed-marriages in northern Europe, in countries such as Iceland, Sweden and Denmark vary between 11% and 16%."
As an American, I know French people don't like us (ok, so maybe most countries). I wouldn't go there unless I was feeling too good about myself and wanted to be taken several levels down.
FACT : " In the European Union (EU) as of 2019, there is a record of approximately 9,6 million people of Sub-Saharan African or Afro-Caribbean descent, comprising around 2% of the total population, with over 50% located in France."
Imagine going to France after escaping war, poverty and persecution and saying, you know what... think I preferred potential impending doom.
they don't escape war and persecution, they are undocumented economic migrants
Load More Replies...Since When Could 70% Of Us Speak German That Good?
To be fair, if you speak Dutch you can guess half the words. My mum was pregnant when I was 12, and I said “meine mutti ist…schwanger?” and yup, got lucky.
Common Germanic W/ Common Pigs L
Note: this post originally had 54 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.
See Americans, we're not always hating on you! We also have a millennia-long history of hating on each other!
If you're an American when you enter the bathroom, and you're an American when you leave the bathroom - what are you while you are IN the bathroom? European
Did people *have* to turn this into a "but we're not the US so our flaws don't matter" thing yet again? If you can't acknowledge the mote in thine own eye, you can't criticize the beam in someone else's. --- my gramps (PS: The US has flaws. So does every nation on earth. It's called.... Humans.)
You should perhaps read the comments again :) . Aside from two or three people who systematically feel the need to talk about the US, everyone's just laughing at the terrible depictions of our countries. It burns and it's hilarious
Load More Replies...funny but some were a bit offensive so for anyone who got offended from this I apologise we were just joking
I thought it was funny, what don't you like about it?
Load More Replies...Everyone saying that America isn't part of the EU, they are, they are just EU immigrants
Quick note. #8 Western European woman is actually ex New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke. Not important but just saying
lol. almost all of these r against france & denmark, thats where im from :'(
Raise your hand if you're the European guy doing go fund me for his cancer treatment! So surprised to see it since your healthcare is "free". I guess it's only free and accessible for strep throat or common things. My husband gets the treatments this guy needs for $60.00 a month here in the USA.
What did Europe do to deserve to be roasted :.( #EuropeNeedsLoveToo
can we get a post about eastern europe? i need more balkan memes in my life.
See Americans, we're not always hating on you! We also have a millennia-long history of hating on each other!
If you're an American when you enter the bathroom, and you're an American when you leave the bathroom - what are you while you are IN the bathroom? European
Did people *have* to turn this into a "but we're not the US so our flaws don't matter" thing yet again? If you can't acknowledge the mote in thine own eye, you can't criticize the beam in someone else's. --- my gramps (PS: The US has flaws. So does every nation on earth. It's called.... Humans.)
You should perhaps read the comments again :) . Aside from two or three people who systematically feel the need to talk about the US, everyone's just laughing at the terrible depictions of our countries. It burns and it's hilarious
Load More Replies...funny but some were a bit offensive so for anyone who got offended from this I apologise we were just joking
I thought it was funny, what don't you like about it?
Load More Replies...Everyone saying that America isn't part of the EU, they are, they are just EU immigrants
Quick note. #8 Western European woman is actually ex New Zealand prime minister Helen Clarke. Not important but just saying
lol. almost all of these r against france & denmark, thats where im from :'(
Raise your hand if you're the European guy doing go fund me for his cancer treatment! So surprised to see it since your healthcare is "free". I guess it's only free and accessible for strep throat or common things. My husband gets the treatments this guy needs for $60.00 a month here in the USA.
What did Europe do to deserve to be roasted :.( #EuropeNeedsLoveToo
can we get a post about eastern europe? i need more balkan memes in my life.