The 'Awkward White People Smile' meme features a thin-lipped, tight-mouthed expression that has become the universal symbol for polite yet uncomfortable social acknowledgement. Originating as a shared observation on social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter around 2018, it highlights the specific way people acknowledge strangers or colleagues without committing to a conversation. It is widely used to illustrate relatable scenarios of social anxiety, minor inconveniences, or the silent agreement of two people passing each other in a hallway. The meme's popularity stems from its hyper-relatability, capturing a nuance of modern social etiquette that many felt but few had named before it went viral.