The Mad Lad meme, also known as the Absolute Madman, originated within British internet culture as a sarcastic way to celebrate someone performing a totally mundane or slightly rule-breaking act. It gained massive popularity after a screenshot of a Facebook post circulated, showing a boy named Dean who was called a 'madman' for simply drinking a bottle of lemonade. Today, the meme is used across social media to ironically praise individuals who participate in low-stakes rebellion or to genuinely acknowledge someone who has done something incredibly bold, unexpected, or socially fearless.