Explaining the “Still Water” meme and TikTok trend

Check out this huge, dirty pool (or not).

The Stillwater memes is a tongue-in-cheek TikTok trend that uses the text “Still Water” as a caption for a harmless amount of water to pretend it’s scary or harmful. It’s a nod to the TikTok trend “Urban Exploration” (the amateur exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins), with videos that explain the very real dangers of “still” or “stagnant” water, often in dramatic or insightful ways.

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In these TikToks, the user acts out the discovery of “still” or “stagnant” water (and labels it as such) and is shocked, frightened, or completely unresponsive. The “still water” depicted in the videos is often everyday water or household water (or can be something disgusting like toilet water).

In doing so, the user is mocking TikTok Brainrot culture – slang for the decline of intelligence caused by excessive digital media – (which is also demonstrated by the synthesized, stupid “Amoeba Brainrot track” used in almost 90% of these TikToks) , but more specifically, a series of urban exploration TikToks that promote the dangers of finding still or stagnant water in abandoned places.

@carter.mcdaniel5 ♬ Brain Eating Amoeba Beat – true_explores

@urronaldocr79 #animalsoftiktok #dogsoftiktok #dog #fyp ♬ Brain-Eating Amoeba Type Beat – true_explores

It all started with a trend of urban exploration TikToks that highlighted the dangers of “still water,” water that has been left unattended for a long time (and can be found in many pools, basements, and other hidden man-made areas).

Because this water remains stagnant for so long, it is highly bacterial and dangerous to swim or drink in. These videos are decidedly unironic and often incredibly dramatic – revealing the “still waters” to the viewer in a frightening or disturbing way.

@tp.urbex Still Water… #abandoned #urbanexploring #urbex #stillwater #disturbing #creepy #creepy ♬ Use this sound if you’re cool – Carl 3000

@loganr_moore #greenscreen still water explained #explore #still water #explained ♬ Original sound – Logan Moore

Meme Basics:

• Meme creator: Unknown
• Meme type: Brainrot, ironic, sigma male
• First appearance: August 2024
• Source of origin: TikTok
• To transmit: Irony, mockery
• Highest popularity: October 12, 2024

Origin and distribution

While Urban Exploration’s TikTok videos talking about “still water” unironically surfaced in July and August 2024, the origin of the original TikTok parody is unknown. According to Know Your Meme, one of the early, widespread parodies of UrbanX’s “Still Water” theme came about on August 17, when TikToker @indians.tenesse posted a video of himself throwing something into a sauce packet; a play on the style of the “Still Water” urban exploration videos from earlier this year.

That account and video have since been deleted, but other notable early parodies occurred on September 22nd and October 1st by TikTokers @happy_pills1234 and @gdig728, respectively.

@happy_pills1234 ♬ I hate you – rems

@gdig728 Still water + norepinephrine + Balkan rage + gdigyap #gdigyap #stillwater #fypage #foryoupage #fyp #gdig728 ♬ Same Ol Mistakes – Runa🖤

Since August, TikTok has been abuzz with parodic “still water” content, even going so far that some urban researchers appreciated the ironic trend and incorporated it into their original UrbanX content.

Memes and catchphrases surrounding “still water” are often paired with other Brainrot, Sigma Male-derived phrases such as Adrenalin, Balkan Rage, Hawk Tuah, Adrenalin, Jonkler and more. Most of the time, these parody TikToks are a chaotic jumble of words, highlighting the absurdity of these phrases and underscoring how they undermine internet culture and, of course, our intelligence.

@nettspendchickennugget Balkan Rage💀💀 #fyp #brainrot #phonk #stillwater #adrenaline #noradranaline #balkan ♬ Original sound – nettspendchickennugget

@lorestae Drinking silent water💀☠️ #fyp #fy #foryou #foryoupage #dc #dlaciebie #viral #viral #blowup #dontflop #mangophonk #balkanrage #jonkler ♬ Mangos – Tiktok version – LDRR

@qu7nn #diddy #stillwater #abandonedmansion #urbex #urbanexplorer #exploringabandonedplaces ♬ Brain-eating amoeba beat – true_explores

More Brainrot memes:

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