AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The 'I'm Gonna Start Dating Her Even Harder' meme, also known as 'I'm Gonna Start X Even Harder,' originates from a scene in the popular TV show 'The Office.' The meme generally features two frames. In the first frame, a character expresses opposition or displeasure towards an action, to which the character Michael Scott responds in the second frame with an exaggerated or intensified commitment to that action. Specifically, this frame usually shows Michael Scott defiantly responding, 'I'm gonna start dating her even harder' when asked to stop dating the speaker's mother. This template has been adapted to various situations where the phrase 'dating her' is replaced to fit different contexts.

OriginWho did it first?

The phrase and scene that became the meme were part of 'The Lover' episode from the sixth season of the American television series 'The Office,' which aired on NBC on October 22, 2009 (IMDB). In this episode, a conflict arises when Pam learns that Michael Scott, her boss, is dating her mother. She demands that he stop dating her mother, to which Michael responds, 'You know what? I'm going to start dating her even harder.' The first known meme from this scene was posted on the subreddit r/DunderMifflin by a Redditor on June 19, 2012 (Reddit post), highlighting the humorous and defiant reaction from Michael. Another popular version was shared on Imgur on July 20, 2013 (Imgur post). The scene can be viewed in full context here: YouTube.^[1]

Origin: 2012