The Greedy Pipe Man meme, often featuring an illustration of a man drinking from a tiny leak while a massive pipe overflows right behind him, serves as a powerful visual metaphor for missing the big picture. It originated as a social commentary on how people or organizations often focus on minor, trivial gains while completely ignoring massive, overwhelming opportunities or looming disasters. The template gained viral status on platforms like Reddit and Twitter, where users label the small water source as a 'temporary fix' and the large pipe as the 'actual problem' or 'missed potential.' Its simplicity makes it one of the most effective tools for critiquing corporate culture, economic irony, and personal life choices.