6 …
If you said “7” after, then congratulations, you have been fully indoctrinated into the latest wave of brain rot. You probably fall into one of these two groups: the first is filled with people who look down on it, the ones who groan every time they hear it and swear they’ll jump off a bridge if someone says it again; and the second (which I proudly belong to) finds joy in the sheer stupidity of this meaningless meme.
When I was at Target the other day in line checking out my groceries, I overheard two middle-aged women talking about “67.” One of them was explaining the significance of these two numbers, and the other, understandably, looked completely baffled. This joke has gone mega viral, dare I say even more than the legendary number meme “9+10 = 21.” The absurdity of hearing these women dissect “67” was both hilarious and weirdly comforting, a reminder of how deeply these memes weave their way into the fabric of everyday life.
What’s interesting is how something so pointless can cause such a stir. There is literally no punchline, no setup. It’s meaningless — and that’s why it works. In a current world where everything is so serious, structured and pressuring, there’s something refreshing about a joke that means absolutely nothing.*
I think that this is a part of why I find so much amusement in it. It reminds me not to overthink, to accept the fact that not everything requires a deep analysis. We spend so much time locked in, worrying about the current political, environmental and social state of the world, our immense responsibilities, the future, everything. When a dumb, easy-to-grasp meme comes along and brings people together in a shared moment, whether that be joining in the laughter or shaking their head in disgust, I’ll take it. I will be savoring this moment of collective stupidity.
There’s also a sense of nostalgia in the undercurrents of virality. Every new trend, from Gen Alpha slang to Italian brain rot, makes me feel old. Like really old. And sometimes concerned for the next generation, but that’s besides the point. I start remembering the old ones like “deez nuts,” the bottle flip challenge, and dabbing. These were so overused back in the day, but now they feel almost comforting. They’re shared inside jokes that connect us to a specific time in our lives, cultural timestamps we can all look back on and laugh about.
Maybe it’s ironic that I’m overanalyzing “6 … 7,” but it really is a reminder that it’s okay to enjoy the small dumb things in life. There’s no need to justify laughter or explain why something makes you happy. Sometimes a shared moment, even one built on pure nonsense and mixed reactions, is enough.
*Yes, yes, I know this meme originates from a basketball edit song on TikTok, but the context isn’t necessary to get the joke.
Grace Lim
Political Coordinator
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