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The 'Complex Structure Supported by a Tiny Part' meme comprises a single-panel comic originally created by the webcomic artist XKCD. This particular comic, known as 'Dependency', features a tall, complex structure made up of numerous grey blocks stacked in various configurations. The entire structure, despite its complexity, is shown to be supported by a very small and seemingly inconsequential part at the base. The image reflects a humorous commentary on the reliance of large systems on small, often overlooked components. This comic has been adapted into object-labeling memes where different parts of the structure and the supporting piece are relabeled to comment humorously or critically on various dependencies in systems or other setups.
The meme originated from a post on XKCD website by the artist on August 17th, 2020. The comic titled 'Dependency' portrays a complex, multi-level structure, supported minimally by a small part, symbolizing how massive systems could fail if a small but crucial element is affected. In the original comic, the vast structure is metaphorically tagged as 'All modern digital infrastructure', and the tiny base part is humorously credited to 'A project some random person in Nebraska has been thanklessly maintaining since 2003.' The comic taps into a broader discussion of how vast digital systems depend heavily on lesser-known, individual contributions. Further explanation and analysis of this comic can be found on Explain XKCD.
Origin: 2020
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Text is fully customizable with font selection, weight controls, colors, and styling like outlines and italics. Each text layer has its own opacity slider, and you can drag text around the canvas or drag layers in the sidebar to control which elements appear on top. Add as many text boxes as you need with the "Add Text" button.
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Enable custom headers above your media with adjustable colors and heights—perfect for adding context or reaction text. This works in both Caption This and when editing templates from the meme library.
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