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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Screenshots of Despair” is a rare card of the Memes World series 72, number 21589 of the collection, and the 241st best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Screenshots of Despair” meme mean?
The project highlights the gap between the cold technical function of software and the emotional interpretation made by the user. By isolating automatic phrases like 'Nothing is being shared' or 'Are you still listening?', the blog lends them a malicious or melancholic intent. The main emotion is dark humor linked to digital alienation: one laughs at their own vulnerability towards machines that seem to judge, ignore, or reject the user, creating a form of solidarity through shared distress.
Where does the “Screenshots of Despair” meme come from?
The Screenshots of Despair blog was created on Tumblr on February 28, 2012, by Josh Kimball, a trends editor based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The initiative aimed to gather computer notifications, error messages, or service indicators capable of hurting self-esteem or seeming socially alienating. The first three posts showed screens from iPhone Game Center, Facebook, and Spotify. The principle involved extracting these messages from their functional context to give them existential weight, making the interface an occasionally unintentionally cruel voice. The first journalistic article dedicated to the project appeared on March 21, 2012, on Design Observer, written by Rob Walker. Quickly, between March 22 and 26, 2012, several major media outlets including Gawker, Refinery29, The Verge, The Washington Post, and TechCrunch relayed the news. This phenomenon fits into the participatory aesthetics associated with the New Aesthetic, highlighting the human impact of digital systems.
- February 28, 2012Launch of the Screenshots of Despair Tumblr blog by Josh Kimball.
- March 21, 2012First article dedicated to the project published on Design Observer by Rob Walker.
- March 22-26, 2012Massive relay of the project by several major international media outlets.
How to use the “Screenshots of Despair” meme
- Share a screenshot of a social rejection notification to illustrate a moment of modern loneliness.
- Use the term to humorously qualify a computer error message with ambiguous phrasing.
- Cite the blog as a cultural reference during a discussion on the psychological impact of digital interfaces.
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The “Screenshots of Despair” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 21589 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Collection | Memes World series 72 |
| Fame | 67/100 · #241 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Screenshots of Despair” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Screenshots of Despair comes out of the Memes World series 72 as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Screenshots of Despair”
More cards of the Memes World series 72
Frequently asked questions
What is screenshots of despair?
It is a Tumblr blog launched in 2012 compiling screenshots of digital notifications interpreted as cruel or lonely.
Screenshots of despair origin?
The project comes from Josh Kimball, launched on Tumblr on February 28, 2012, before being relayed by global tech press.
Who is josh kimball screenshots of despair?
Josh Kimball is a trends editor from Saint Paul, Minnesota, creator of the blog.
Screenshots of despair new aesthetic?
The blog is associated with the New Aesthetic, an artistic movement exploring the intersection between the physical world and digital systems.
How do I get the Screenshots of Despair meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Screenshots of Despair” is a rare card of the Memes World series 72. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Screenshots of Despair card?
It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Screenshots of Despair | Know Your Meme · Screenshots of Despair · "Screenshots of Despair" - DesignObserver · checked on October 14, 2026.
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Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.