100 men vs. 1 gorilla: Viral trend goes weird as netizens replace gorilla with everything possible |
It began as a simple, chest-thumping question: could 100 men defeat a single gorilla? But in true internet fashion, the debate has now mutated into something far weirder and, dare we say, a little poetic.
What we’re witnessing is less Planet of the Apes and more Mythology of the Memes. Like a digital-age Hercules, social media users are imagining their own “12 Labours,” except it’s them vs 100 of literally anything.
Forget ancient monsters and golden apples. Today’s trials include “Me vs 100 emotionally unavailable men” (a battle Hercules himself might’ve sat out), “Me vs 100 FaceTime calls from my girlfriend” (emotionally taxing in its own right), and “Me vs 100 airport beers” (truly a feat worthy of the gods).
Poll
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the modern ‘Me vs 100’ challenges?
Where Hercules faced the Hydra, today’s warriors are up against things like “Me vs 100 unread emails” or “Me vs 100 job applications requiring entry-level workers to have PhDs and 10 years’ experience.” Sisyphus would understand.
One user, channeling the spirit of ancient trials, posted: “Me vs 100 cheeseburgers. This is my Colosseum.” Another took a philosophical route: “Me vs 100 bad decisions. So far, I’m undefeated and not in a good way.”
And of course, no Herculean saga is complete without the beast of heartbreak: “Me vs 100 texts from my situationship at 2 AM. Call me when you’ve wrestled a lion, Hercules.”
How ‘Me vs. 100’ became the meme of modern life
In ancient times, epic tales of impossible tasks inspired awe and reverence. Now they inspire memes. But the essence remains: humans love testing their limits, even if today’s “limit” is surviving “Me vs 100 tiny LEGO pieces on the floor in the dark.”
The meme has taken off because it taps into something timeless: the feeling that modern life is one long, ridiculous boss battle. Instead of slaying monsters, we’re fending off inboxes, craving 100 cheeseburgers, or dodging 100 calls from clingy contacts. In many ways, this is just mythology for the burnout generation.
And while the original debate about men vs gorilla fades into meme history (along with its ethics-questionable premise), the trend is showing no signs of slowing down. Because if there’s one thing humanity excels at, besides inventing struggles, it’s turning them into shareable content.
The ancients had scrolls. We have X and TikTok. Same struggle, different century.
