The Survivorship Bias Plane meme is based on a real-life statistical observation made by mathematician Abraham Wald during World War II. When studying returning bombers covered in bullet holes, researchers initially suggested adding armor to the damaged areas. However, Wald realized the armor should actually be placed where there were no holes, as planes hit in those critical areas—like the engines and cockpit—never made it back to be examined. In internet culture, this diagram has become a definitive visual metaphor for focusing on visible successes while ignoring the 'silent' failures that didn't make it past the selection process. It is frequently used to critique startup culture, celebrity advice, and flawed data analysis.