AboutWhat does the meme depict?

The Matrix Morpheus meme features a dialogue prompt that replicates a still from 'The Matrix' film series. The depicted character is Morpheus, played by Lawrence Fishburne, whose Wikipedia profile details his fictional backstory. Each meme typically has two lines of text, with the top line beginning with 'What if I Told You,' followed by a second line that usually challenges or trivializes narrow or superficial behaviors.

OriginWho did it first?

The famous line 'What if I told you' attributed to Morpheus actually never appears in the Matrix films. It is believed to be a condensed version of a dialogue where Morpheus reveals to Neo, portrayed by Keanu Reeves, that his reality is a virtual simulation. This scene became iconic and the basis for multiple meme variations. The foreground image frequently used in these memes was sourced from a scene in which Morpheus educates Neo about dangers posed by certain 'Agent' programs. The earliest known meme version appeared on February 11th, 2012, posted by Reddit user haveacigaro in the subreddit r/AdviceAnimals, showing Morpheus seated, alongside a tip for Mac users on taking screenshots. The visual and conceptual elements of this meme have evolved from scenes of the movie, as illustrated in this YouTube clip.^[1]

Origin: 2012