The 'Me, An Intellectual' meme emerged as a satirical way to poke fun at people who use overly formal or archaic language to appear superior. It gained traction on platforms like Tumblr and Twitter around 2016, often paired with images of characters making smug faces or the 'Expanding Brain' evolution. The format typically involves contrasting a common word or phrase with a ridiculously verbose alternative, such as replacing 'hello' with 'salutations to the terrestrial inhabitants.' It has since become a staple of internet culture for self-deprecating humor or calling out 'r/iamverysmart' behavior.