AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The PTSD Clarinet Boy meme features an advice animal image macro of a young redheaded boy in a school band uniform, holding a clarinet. The meme is characterized by a double exposure effect: a full-body image of the boy, standing and gazing outward, is superimposed onto the back of his own head. This visual effect is used to depict the boy as being haunted by his past experiences. Initially, the captions accompanying this meme presented first-person narratives reminiscent of war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, reflecting on past traumatic events. Over time, the captions evolved to include themes of high school alienation, similar to those seen in other series like Karate Kyle and Vengeance Dad.

OriginWho did it first?

The PTSD Clarinet Boy meme originated from a post titled "A Beautiful Mind" on the Awkward Family Photos website on July 17, 2009 (Awkward Family Photos). The accompanying caption prompted readers to imagine what the boy might be thinking about. By December of the same year, the image was adopted by the Meme Generator website, initially labeled as "Veteran PTSD Clarinet Boy." This version of the meme used captions that imitated the reminiscences of Vietnam War veterans.^[1]

Origin: 2009