These ‘being perceived’ memes will leave you feeling very seen indeed

Can’t believe I’ve gotta put up with being perceived

4 years ago

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I’ll tell you what sucks: being perceived. Just having your existence registered by someone else. Why can’t we all just get along without it? It’s a weird sentiment, but one you might have noticed growing on Twitter.

The “being perceived” is a bit existential, a bit loner-y. In a way, it’s the perfect 2020 meme.

But it’s also a bit confusing. Just why is everyone harping on about the agony of being perceived? Why is being perceived even so bad? Let’s explain:

What exactly is the ‘being perceived’ meme all about?

The “being perceived” meme has its roots in “The Mortifying Ideal of Being Known”, from a 2013 New York Times essay.

“We believe that unconditional love means not seeing anything negative about someone, when it really means pretty much the opposite: loving someone despite their infuriating flaws and essential absurdity,” Tim Kreider writes.

“If we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.” Crikey.

Think of being perceived as a 2020 extension of this. Instead of baring your soul in order to be loved, the meme cranks up the isolation and anxiety and scrapes away some of the shine. The price for existing and participating in society, even to a small extent, is being perceived. You are seen and known, without the reward of being loved. And that’s something to avoid.

Think of it as the following Marge Simpson meme:

On a less gloomy note, it’s also a pretty banal sentiment – there are some days where you just don’t want to be part of normal society. You wish you could take part in that Zoom call, have bad hair and bags under your eyes, without your classmates or coworkers unavoidably forming an opinion.

Sure, you can go a day without being perceived, but it means not really doing anything. And that’s just not practical.

Anyway, here are a bunch of being perceived memes

me when i'm being perceived https://t.co/3Z525wO82P

— 🎃👻 aquila 👻🎃 (@belllmonts) October 17, 2020

not into being perceived today pic.twitter.com/szTOUQxdsw

— Sammy w/o the S (@doodlejumpgod69) October 17, 2020

I’m so sick of being perceived I literally cannot deal with people having an opinion of me

— brittany (@brittany_broski) September 17, 2020

Girls just wait Until i Get Over my Fear of Being .perceived

— want a gf (@plsfindmeagf) October 15, 2020

that’s enough being perceived for today

— giabuchi lastrassi (@jaboukie) March 19, 2020

Being adored Being perceived pic.twitter.com/apLnNyHGjd

— Kendra (@kendrawcandraw) April 14, 2020

i hate being perceived… absolutely loathe being Seen for who i truly am… nobody is allowed 2 ACCESS the multitudes i contain… pic.twitter.com/CbTOdt1vey

— mishka (@taglishes) April 23, 2020

me and my homies hate being perceived

— ♂ (@JavaughnSYW) September 21, 2020

i HATE being perceived. I cant take it anymore. Do not Look at Me. Also im getting rid of all my mirrors

— 森美 (@dn3hrnjgs) September 25, 2019

being perceived is the biggest waste of my time!! stop perceiving me!

— JP (@jpbrammer) February 7, 2020

the fact that i’m constantly being perceived,,, makes me uneasy

— neon black (@gradeint) April 7, 2020

i be like “i hate being perceived” and then take 236 selfies and tweet my every thought

— trish (@ULTRAGLOSS) June 20, 2020

Coming down from psychedelics and realizing i have to go back to being perceived pic.twitter.com/6HsM8PlRzZ

— anime yitties (@peachesfrfr) August 11, 2020

i hate being perceived. don’t talk about me don’t think about me. i’m not real

— bean 🌈 (@hostile_bean) May 4, 2020

I am so tired of being perceived pic.twitter.com/YrZHcHtpBU

— bobby wasabi (@bIondiewasabi) June 21, 2020

Scorpio: i don’t wanna be perceived
Aquarius: I don’t want to perceived either
Scorpio: cool, I wanted to go home and be alone anyways

Aquarius, alone: i think i actually might enjoy being perceived more than i let on

— Astro Bebs (@astrobebs) September 2, 2020

being perceived…. how do u stop that

— alma (@Iesbwian) January 12, 2020

mom can you pick me up? i’m being perceived

— 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰🎃 (@MommyBigDick) August 22, 2020

Just saw a huge ass rat and it jumped when it saw me and so did I and it was then I realized everyone is just freaked the fuck out of being perceived

— Get that 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑. Get that ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑. (@venusiansol) August 10, 2020

existing be like: being perceived, someone thinks of me, more perceiving, questioning my existence, falling in love, enjoying the sunlight, some more perceiving, buying plants

— sarah (@heavenbrat) July 1, 2020