Change My Mind

[Controversial opinion] / Change my mind.

On February 16, 2018, conservative commentator Steven Crowder posted a photo to Twitter. He sat behind a folding table at Texas Christian University, a mug of coffee in hand, a sign reading "Male privilege is a myth / Change my mind" propped beside him. The image received thousands of retweets.

But the internet saw something else entirely: a blank template.

Within days, users had photoshopped new text onto the sign. "Water is not wet / Change my mind." "Cereal is soup / Change my mind." "The Star Wars prequels were good / Change my mind." The format stripped away Crowder's original political context and became a vehicle for any hot take, any controversial position, any opinion you wanted to assert with smug confidence.

The meme worked because of the pose: Crowder's expression radiates the particular self-assurance of someone who believes they've already won the argument. The coffee mug adds a touch of casual condescension. The setup demands engagement but implies immunity to persuasion.

Change My Mind peaked in late February and March 2018, colonizing Twitter, Reddit, and every group chat where someone had an unpopular opinion to share. It became the format for stating the obvious, the controversial, and the absurd—all while daring anyone to disagree.

The meme eventually collapsed under the weight of its own ubiquity. When every take became a "Change my mind" take, the format lost its edge. It became a punchline to its own joke.

But somewhere out there, someone is still sitting behind a folding table, coffee in hand, absolutely certain they're right.

Change my mind.