The viral social media trend involving prompting users to look between letters on their keyboard for a specific word or phrase has become incredibly popular. The joke involves spelling out a word by instructing users to look between certain keys on their keyboard. For example, a common joke is to ask someone to “look between R and Y” on their keyboard, with the answer being the letter “T,” short for tea. The meme gained traction in 2021 and is often related to anime characters, with users spelling out the name of a character by looking between keys that are next to each other.
The viral joke has now spread to mainstream social media accounts and brands. The Guinness World Records account used the joke when responding to an applicant wanting to break the record for the longest streak without sleeping, telling them to “look between T and U” for the answer “Y,” short for why. Sony used the joke to promote the re-release of the movie “Spider-Man 2,” asking users to look between Y and I for the answer “U,” short for you. Many other accounts have also joined in on the trend, using letters next to each other on the keyboard to spell out common phrases or jokes.
While the joke was initially well-received by users, as it gained popularity and big brands started using it as well, many people have grown tired of it. Social media users, especially those who don’t understand the humor behind the joke, are now pleading for the trend to come to an end. Many are expressing frustration and annoyance with the meme, with some even muting accounts that continue to participate in the trend. Even the Empire State Building’s social media account shared their exasperation with the joke and encouraged users to look at them instead of between letters on their keyboard.
The meme has been successful in engaging social media users in a fun and playful way, with many people enjoying the game of trying to figure out the answer based on the keys provided. However, as with many viral trends, there comes a point where it starts to become over-saturated and people begin to grow tired of it. This is evident in the responses from users indicating their frustration and desire for the trend to end. While the joke may have started out as a lighthearted way to engage with others online, it seems that it has now reached the point where it has worn out its welcome.
Despite the backlash, the joke continues to be popular among many social media users and brands. As with any viral trend, there will always be those who enjoy participating and engaging with it, while others will quickly tire of it. It will be interesting to see how long the trend continues and if it will eventually fizzle out or if it will continue to be a popular joke on social media platforms. Only time will tell if the trend will continue to be a hit or if it will eventually come to an end as users grow more fatigued with experiencing it.
