A recent tattooing trend that you may have heard of is Mephobia face tattoos. So, what is that all about? Is Mephobia an actual medical condition or is it a new and trendy slang word? In today’s article we’ll clear the haze behind Mephobia and tell you a little about the symbolism, meanings and more.
Is a Mephobia tattoo a good fit for you? Read on and find out more in the sections below!
What is Mephobia?
‘Mephobia’ is a fun word that describes the state of being so incredibly awesome that the world at large cannot handle it, and so the subsequently die.
That’s a serious level of awesomeness, we’d have to say, and likely currently reserved to rock stars, movie tough guys and gals, and pop singers so high up above us that they’re getting nosebleeds in the clouds.
It also sounds a little suspicious and a quick Google can find a lot of references, none of which seem to be in this years dictionary or any medical journals, which leads us to our next question about Mephobia.
Is Mephobia a real thing?
No, Mephobia is not a real mental health issue, but rather a by-product of the information age.
These days, everyone has the internet in their pocket, and this has led to online discourse and debate and the eventual development of the word ‘Mephobia’, ‘officially’ used to describe someone with an inflated ego or used by that same person to describe their super-awesomeness.
This makes it a bit of a dual-edged sword of a word. If someone else says that you have Mephobia, it could an insult to your ego, or it could be a nod to your mighty and too-perfect presence.
After all, the word can also mean that you are so great that the rest of the world, saddened by your popularity and success, would rather ‘snuff it’ than try to compete with your example.
The history behind Mephobia
Mephobia face tattoos are certainly out there and to better understand them, it’s best to know a little bit of the history about how the word was coined and gained its popularity.
As it turns out, this word originated in online forums such as Reddit and 4Chan, where it has been used as both a comical description of one’s self and alternately, as an attack on someone else’s ego and their inflated sense of worth.
Some use it to describe the genuine feeling that they are not as great as they think that they are, and common ‘Mephobia’ symptoms are daydreaming about your own greatness, considering yourself a might influencer (despite little or no followers), and the constant feel that you are assaulted by ‘haters’ who are jealous of your greatness.
It’s only been around for a few years and if you are considering a Mephobia face tattoo then you might want remind yourself that slang has a way of vanishing. Unless you’re looking to commemorate a long history of Reddit posting or really like this word, then this tattoo might not be a perfect fit for you.
Should You Get a Mephobia Tattoo?
While it is ultimately up to you and we usually encourage getting whatever you want tattooed on your body (because it’s your body and no one else gets a vote!), we would advise caution with the Mephobia tattoo.
While the meaning behind it is fun and perfect for the right person, we would recommend that you spend a day Googling ‘popular slang by year’ so that you can get a good idea of how slang phrases and words are going, how long their popularity lasts, and most importantly, how they sound after a decade or two.
The lifespan of a newly-coined word is a fragile thing and more often than not, it becomes tied to a 1 -5 year period In someone’s life and unless the word really catches on, it tends to face pretty quickly. With ‘Mephobia’, the first usage that we can track is forum usage of the word around April 2011.
Considering the scant amount of information on the net about it, we aren’t sure that anyone is really going to remember the word in 10 years, so this is something that you need to consider if you are thinking of putting it on your face. It’s a bold choice, so you have to decide if the risk is worth it!
Remember – the only rules are your rules
Now that we’ve given you a healthy disclaimer, the bottom line is still the same. It’s your face and so it’s your decision. There are also no rules other than the ones that you make, so just remember that you can always ‘hedge your bets’ with this one. For instance, writing ‘Mephobia’ doesn’t have to be done with English letters.
You could write it in Norse Runes, for instance, or you could create a design that incorporates the dots and dashes of Morse code, so that the statement is hidden in the design. By going this route, you can have the tattoo and if the word loses popularity from overuse or underuse, then you don’t have to worry.
Finally, if you love this word and think that it sums up both your potential or existing greatness, as well as your current perceived ‘dilemma’ as a result of your awesome nature, then go ahead and write the words ‘clear as day’ in your very own Mephobia face tattoo.
Your body, your statement, and your rules. What’s the old saying? Ahh, yes. No guts, no glory! Just think long and hard on it and you’ll know if this is the perfect tattoo for you.
Some final words on Mephobia tattoos
Today we’ve taken a look at the history of Reddit and 4Chan’s slang word ‘Mephobia’. While it’s not an actual medical condition, it arguably should be, as nothing can grow to collosal proportions quite like the ego. If you feel that Mephobia describes your life perfectly, then you’ve got a way to say it clearly to the world.
Will your inner-awesomeness support such a statement? The only one who truly knows the answer to that is going to be YOU.
