In the past a "vintage" version with some military protagonists and the man / woman parts reversed, of the same meme had been published, that is, according to the definition of the Webster Dictionary, an idea, behavior or similar (in this case an image) that spreads from person to person within popular culture, that of the Internet in our specific case. Memes, especially since the 1910s of the twenty-first century, have taken more and more field, often leaving the context of communication via the Internet and becoming, in fact, largely known by everyone, young and very young in the first place, who have used them (and still continue) for the production of content including trans media. Yes, if you have a t-shirt with the "Troll Face" on it, it is thanks to this evolution.
"Distracted Boyfriend", for better or for worse, always bearing in mind that it is a goliardic concept, deliberately taken to extremes , has now become a real symbol of infidelity, not only in a sentimental sense, but also as regards the preference for a product or a video game, rather than another, to which one may have been linked for years.
In all likelihood, according to the latest research carried out by Kevin Huizenga on his website F Blog, the true origin of this meme could be traced back to a 1916 cartoon published in the Chicago Tribune by the satirist Frank King and showing, in a bird's-eye view, a woman filming her alleged husband, guilty of admiring a little too much a handsome passing girl, saying, “What are you looking at Ezry? Shame on you! "
The situation then evolved, also according to the various fashions dictated by the Internet users, also adapting to every type of environment and context, from videogames to politics. as it is essential to be able to do to be classified as a "meme". In practice, the realization of a new, but not too much, form of popular communication, often ironic and extremely cutting edge. If you are interested in the phenomenon of memes, we recommend the volume “The war of memes. Phenomenology of an infinite joke “, available at this Amazon link.