Why Does This Photo 'Invoke Primal Reactions In People?'

You might have seen people posting everything from furries to emo boys kissing alongside a tagline that reads, "I love this photo because it invokes primal reactions in people. They are the couple everyone wishes they were in high school." Everyone suffers from vague nostalgia for an idealized past, but what if someone took a photo of two random high schoolers and decided to spin his own bizarre narrative about how much people value it? Here's all you need to know about the original tweet that incited people to such relentless mockery.

Where Does The Phrase "I Love This Photo Because It Invokes Primal Reactions In People" Come From?

The phrase "I love this photo because it invokes primal reactions in people" comes from a tweet from user @neilsknk on September 2nd, 2022, where he posted a photo of a high school football player and a cheerleader kissing. The tweet doesn't end there — he goes on to say, "They represent the summun of popularity and success. Those who fall short this ideal cannot help but feel the sting of envy. A mirror into your soul."

It appears that the user may have taken his own projections about high school social hierarchies a bit too far, and other internet users seemed to agree. All in all, perhaps the general public's basic sentiment about @neilsknk's tweet is that no one should be taking relationship opinions from a man whose Twitter banner is him urging for people to "carry yourself like a sex god."

"I Love This Photo Because It Invokes Primal Reactions In People" Usage In Memes

The phrase "I love these photos because they invoke primal reactions in people" quickly began being used by Twitter users alongside images that certainly would not, or rather, should not be evoking any primal reactions in people at all. The earliest instance of someone using the phrase as a meme was from Twitter user @ben_foth on September 2nd, 2022, who posted an ancient Reddit photo of an 11th grader proposing to his girlfriend of four weeks.

While this meme was simply a topical quip in the same vein of high school relationship idolatry as the original cringey tweet, other users quickly caught on and made their own statements about which photos "invoke primal reactions in them." Someone used a picture of Team Rocket to prove their point, and another user cut straight to the chase with a screenshot of a google image search for "emo boys kissing." They got me there!

Where Can I Use The Phrase "I Love This Photo Because It Invokes Primal Reactions In People"?

You can use the phrase "I love these photos because they invoke primal reactions in people" on any image of a couple or something to be ironically envious of, but be warned that any hint of sincerity about how much you love a stereotype of high school popularity will be met with immense ridicule. Here are some more examples to help you out in your quest.

For the full history of "I love this photo because it invokes primal reactions in people," be sure to check out our entry on it here for even more information.