The Moral Circles Heatmap meme is based on a psychological concept depicting the boundaries of an individual's empathy, typically expanding from self and family to all sentient life. On the internet, it evolved into a satirical template used to highlight hypocritical or absurdly specific priorities. By applying a bright heatmap overlay to these concentric circles, users joke about how they care deeply for niche interests, pets, or fictional characters while remaining indifferent to global issues. It became a viral sensation for its ability to visualize personal biases and 'main character energy' in a clinical, yet hilarious, format.