‘The American mind can’t comprehend this’ meme explained

It wouldn't be a normal day on the internet without some lighthearted debate between Europeans and Americans.

A recent example is the back-and-forth dispute over who would win in a fight between 100 Brits and 100 Americans, with both sides of the pond backing their chances of victory.

Now, a meme has been making the rounds again, which showcases the differences between European and American lifestyles, resulting in them saying "The American Mind Can’t Comprehend This".

Where did it begin?

The meme appears to have first begun in 2023, where it was initially Americans saying "The European Mind Can’t Comprehend This" as one X, formerly Twitter user, highlighted just how long it takes to travel from New York City to Los Angeles by car.

Then the Europeans began to respond with their own take on the meme, with one user posting an image of a German window style being opened with the caption "The American Mind Cannot Comprehend This," according to Know Your Meme.

Why has it resurfaced?

The meme has seen a resurgence as a result of some recent viral posts, such as one shared by user @CigsMake, who shared a woman smoking in front of a Spanish outdoor cafe and bar while two guys were sitting, enjoying their pints. The caption read: "The American mind cannot comprehend this."

The post went viral with over 82.2 million views, 105,000 likes, as the meme continued to spread.

Keeping the meme news relevant and topical, another user edited the photo to darken it to represent the electricity outage that occurred in Spain and Portugal, causing a blackout in the two countries at the end of last month (April 28).

"The American mind cannot comprehend this," they joked in the caption.

Although not quite in the same meme format, a photo of a terraced, redbrick house was posted by British user Tom Forth, who remarked: "Incredible to think that many Americans will look at this photo and think ‘poverty.’"

For context, terrace houses are a common sight in the UK as they were built to house the growing populations as a result of the Industrial Revolution.

It has since prompted discourse on whether a house like this represents poverty in the Europe or the US - and it seems people are divided.

"Your house literally looks like a Baltimore crack house," one American commented.

One Irish person said, "The way this house would cost you €1.2M in Ranelagh."

"LMAO That’s a place in the hoods of Philly," a second American replied.

One Brit shared, "£400,000 on Zoopla. £600,000 - £1,000,000 the closer to London you get."

Elsewhere, 100 Americans vs 100 Brits is the latest viral debate dividing everyone, and TikTok has convinced Americans the UK has a ‘tea alarm’ every day.

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