on_a_downward_spiral

Submission 8,678

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About

on_a_downward_spiral is an Instagram meme and shitposting account known for its alt sphere of influence. It has 475,000 followers and 11,300 posts as of August 2021 since being created in May 2016. It's most known for memes like niche internet micro-celebrity, me tryna hit, i forgor, Instagram Story screenshots, Whisper-posting and TikTok screenshots. The account's nuances mostly fall into Zoomer, LGBTQ+ and post-ironic discourses. In July 2021, the account gained more mainstream attention.

History

on_a_downward_spiral was created in May 2016.^[1] Its first post was on June 6th, 2016 (shown below on left).^[2] The account used to be administered by multiple people, but as of August 2021, it only has one. The page began to accumulate a larger following at the beginning of 2018. By mid-2018, the account began to consistently reach 1,000 likes per post. On September 10th, 2018, on_a_downward_spiral posted this meme (shown below on right), which received roughly 4,300 likes.^[3] At the time it was its most liked meme.

on_a_downward_spiral began to amass a bigger following going into 2019. Many of the page's themes began to cement themselves, most notably Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Ray, the alt-left and nuanced takes on Zoomer culture in general. The page established itself as part of these subcultures from its beginning, and through that identification, it was able to parody them more accurately. Shown below are examples of this from as early as June 6th, 2016.^[4]

The page began to gain more likes and followers going into 2020. By mid-2020, on_a_downward_spiral would receive 5,000 likes consistently per post. Bigger exceptions began to emerge in July 2020. For instance, the account got 46,000 likes on a furry meme on July 22nd, 2020 (shown below, left).^[5] Around the same time, on July 20th, 2020, on_a_downward_spiral posted this Nicki Minaj, non-binary meme (shown below, right), which got roughly 14,000 likes.^[6] on_a_downward_spiral had roughly 155,000 followers by the end of 2020.^[8]

Instagram Story Screenshots

on_a_downward_spiral helped the "Instagram Story screenshot" become a viable meme format and aesthetic. The account first reposted an Instagram Story screenshot on August 24th, 2020 (shown below on left).^[7] On September 7th, 2020, on_a_downward_spiral would post its first Instagram Story screenshot as an original post (shown below, right).

This Rio De Janeiro, Instagram Story aesthetic would come to define on_a_downward_spiral going forward (two examples from July 2021 seen below).

Self-Referential Content

Going into 2021, on_a_downward_spiral began to see an uptick in engagement, having roughly 200,000 followers. A self-referencing follower base started to form around the page. Mutuals began making memes about on_a_downward_spiral and on_a_downward_spiral would screenshot them and repost them. The first known self-referencing post (shown below) was reposted to the account on November 5th, 2020.^[8] This meme demonstrates how the "on_a_downward_spiral follower" was becoming known as a personality type.

More self-referential memes and reposts began to make their way onto the account. There began to be website-crossing references to on_a_downward_spiral. For example, on June 20th, 2021, on_a_downward_spiral reposted a screenshot of TikToker @idkwymfr's TikTok (shown below, left) which referenced on_a_downward_spiral.^[9] Another example, (shown below, right) is from a Twitter account, @BennettsStuff.^[10] on_a_downward_spiral reposted this one on March 15th, 2021. Both of these, among other screenshots, cemented the account's cult following, and influence, among the greater alt, zoomer meme sphere.

Mainstream Awareness

In March of 2021, on_a_downward_spiral began to become an alt, zoomer, cultural signifier in a more mainstream way. On April 13th, 2021, a user noticed Addison Rae was following the page. on_a_downward_spiral screenshotted the direct message from the follower and posted it the same day (shown below).^[11]

Other verified, celebrity accounts, closely associated with the account's original girlboss sentiments and signifiers, began to validate the page by following them and referencing them. On July 22nd, 2021, on_a_downward_spiral reposted a TikTok from TikToker @official.mike3. Among the likers of the post was Courtney Love's account. on_a_downward_spiral reposted a screenshot of a DM from a follower who noticed it that same day (shown below).^[12]

On July 25th, 2021, Azealia Banks, notorious for her Instagram Story rantings, mentioned on_a_downward_spiral in her story, labeling Courtney Love as an "on_a_downward_spiral follower." on_a_downward_spiral would then repost the Azelia Banks story the same day, July 25th, 2021 (shown below).^[13] The whole scenario would further cement the page's cult following and influence and attract more followers.

On August 3rd, 2021, Anthony Fantano tweeted a screenshot of an i-D article written about Gen Z shitposting accounts.^[14] The article mentioned on_a_downward_spiral in the screenshot.^[15] Anthony Fantano said in a reply to it, "On A Downward Spiral is an excellent account tho."^[16] on_a_downward_spiral would then screenshot the tweet and post it on the same day (shown below) and receive roughly 48,000 likes.