The Samuel Johnson Reading meme features a 1775 portrait of the famous English writer and lexicographer, Dr. Samuel Johnson, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Known for his 'Dictionary of the English Language,' Johnson is depicted in the painting as being severely near-sighted, holding a book incredibly close to his eyes. On the internet, this image became a viral reaction meme used to represent someone struggling to understand something, squinting at small text, or looking at a piece of information with deep skepticism. It perfectly captures the universal frustration of trying to decipher confusing instructions, fine print, or questionable logic found across social media and digital communication.