The 'You, Higher Mammal' meme is derived from a vintage scientific or educational illustration of a primate, often portrayed with a surprisingly human-like expression or gesture. It gained traction on social media platforms as a way to mock human arrogance or to point out the irony in 'advanced' human behavior. The humor typically stems from the juxtaposition of a primitive animal addressing a human as a peer, using the formal and scientific phrase 'higher mammal' to deliver a sarcastic or observational punchline. It is widely used in intellectual shitposting and to comment on the absurdity of modern society from an outsider's perspective.