Everything Is Fine Meme: Meaning, Origins, How It Went Viral And Political & Cultural Impact
The Everything Is Fine Meme (or This Is Fine meme) features a cartoon dog calmly sipping coffee while the room around him is engulfed in flames.
Originating from a 2013 webcomic by K.C. Green, the image captures the essence of ironic denial and quiet panic in the face of disaster.
Over time, it has become a universal symbol for dealing with stress, chaos, or hopeless situations with a straight face. From internet jokes to political commentary, the meme’s impact is still burning strong today.
In this article, we’ll explore the meaning, origin, evolution, and cultural relevance of the “This Is Fine” meme—and why it still resonates in times of personal chaos or global crisis.
What Is the Everything Is Fine Meme?
The Everything Is Fine meme (or This Is Fine meme) originates from a well-known two-panel scene featuring a calm, anthropomorphic dog sipping coffee while surrounded by flames, with the caption “This is fine.”
Taken from the Gunshow webcomic series by K.C. Green, first published on January 9, 2013, it’s commonly used as a reaction image to reflect denial or forced acceptance amid chaos.
The Origin of the Everything Is Fine meme
The Everything Is Fine meme first appeared in Gunshow #648, titled “The Pills Are Working” or “On Fire.” In this installment, a simple dog character (“Question Hound”) calmly drinks coffee in a burning room while reassuring himself: “This is fine.” As heat intensifies, the character begins to melt — a dark yet deceptively gentle metaphor for self-denial.
K.C. Green’s subtle writing style—deliberately vague—enabled readers to project their own struggles into the scene, a reason why it’s resonated broadly.
How did the Everything Is Fine meme Spread?
The Everything Is Fine meme (or This Is Fine meme) began quietly but spread rapidly across online communities.
Its first major appearance outside the original comic occurred on April 26, 2013, when the first two panels were shared in a thread on 4chan’s /vr/ board. Although posted without much context, the image’s ironic calmness in the face of chaos immediately caught attention and started making the rounds on forums and image boards.
Momentum built when, on January 10, 2014, Reddit user theonefoster uploaded the meme to the r/funny subreddit with the title: “Accurate representation of me dealing with university stress.” The post resonated strongly with students and young adults, quickly climbing in upvotes and sparking a new wave of shares and edits across platforms.
Later that year, on September 21, 2014, another Redditor, SPIDER_MAN, posted the same two panels to r/funny again, this time reaching thousands more. Simultaneously, it was re-uploaded to Imgur, where it racked up over 4,300 upvotes and hundreds of comments, further confirming its viral appeal.
Political & Cultural Impact
Republican National Committee (RNC) Tweet, July 25, 2016
The GOP tweeted the image as commentary on chaotic scenes at the Democratic National Convention, using hashtags like #DemsInPhilly. K.C. Green publicly objected and requested the GOP remove the image.
The Nib’s Response
Political cartoon site The Nib commissioned K.C. Green to create a variation showing the GOP elephant in the flames—used in a gallery in Philadelphia as a retort.
Online Version & Video Game
- Early 2016: The first frame began appearing as standalone reaction images.
- November 13, 2016: Indie dev Nick Kaman released an 8-bit browser game letting users extinguish the flames around the dog—garnering 10,000+ plays within a month.
U.S. Senate, August 1, 2018
Senator Richard Burr used the meme during a hearing on Russian interference:
“Some feel that we…are sitting in a burning room, calmly drinking a cup of coffee, telling ourselves, ‘this is fine.’ That’s not fine.”
FAQs about the
Q: What does the “Everything Is Fine” meme mean?
A: It symbolizes calmness in the face of disaster—an ironic denial of impending crisis .
Q: Where did it originate?
A: From K.C. Green’s Gunshow comic #648, first published Jan 9, 2013.
Q: How did it go viral?
A: Shared on 4chan, Reddit, and Imgur in 2013–14; bolstered by political memes and social commentary.
Q: Has it appeared in politics?
A: Yes. The GOP tweeted it during the 2016 DNC, and Senator Burr referenced it in 2018 hearings.
Q: Is the artist supportive of its use?
A: Green welcomes creative reuses but objected to unauthorized political omissions, especially from the GOP .
Conclusion
The Everything Is Fine meme explained traces the arc from a simple panel in a comic to a multi-platform cultural beacon—used by students, pundits, politicians, and everyday people to convey the irony of calm amid catastrophe.
Whether it’s clickable “put-out-the-fire” games, political counter-memes, or GIFs shared in group chats, the silent dog from K.C. Green’s pages still speaks volumes. In an age where chaos feels normal, “everything is fine” isn’t just a phrase—it’s a feeling.
