The 'Cringe' meme culture revolves around the visceral feeling of second-hand embarrassment or social awkwardness. While it doesn't refer to a single static image, it encompasses a wide range of reaction faces and videos depicting people in painfully uncomfortable situations. The term gained mainstream internet status in the mid-2010s, moving from niche forums to platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Cringe memes are used to highlight everything from failed romantic attempts to corporate 'fellow kids' marketing, acting as a social barometer for what is considered authentic versus performative or embarrassing.