The Political Compass meme is based on a multi-axis model used to organize political ideologies more accurately than the traditional left-right spectrum. It features a grid with Authoritarian at the top, Libertarian at the bottom, Left on the left, and Right on the right. While it began as a legitimate social tool, it evolved into an internet phenomenon popularized on subreddits like r/PoliticalCompassMemes. Users utilize the template to categorize everything from food preferences to fictional characters, often using color-coded stereotypes like green for LibLeft or blue for AuthRight to mock specific ideological behaviors and contradictions in a humorous, satirical way.