The 'There is No War in Ba Sing Se' meme originates from the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, specifically the episode 'City of Walls and Secrets.' The phrase is used by the character Joo Dee and the Dai Li secret police to brainwash citizens and maintain a false sense of security while the city is under threat. Online, the meme serves as a powerful metaphor for gaslighting, propaganda, or any situation where a person or organization blatantly denies a visible problem. It is typically used by overlaying text about a modern crisis over an image of the unsettlingly calm Joo Dee or the Earth King.