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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Shorter” is a common card of the Memes World series 76, number 22584 of the collection, and the 84th best-known meme of its 298 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Shorter” meme mean?
A shorter strips an argument down to what it really says, minus the polish. It is dry, funny and slightly cruel, a bit like tl;dr with an eyebrow raised. The pleasure comes from watching a grand thesis shrink to an obvious point. People use it on endless editorials, convoluted op-eds, or movies whose whole plot fits in one line, and the shorter the line, the better the joke lands, which is why the best ones read like a verdict.
Where does the “Shorter” meme come from?
The format is credited to Daniel Davies, who began it in 2003 on his blog Dsquared Digest. His first target was Steven den Beste, a blogger known for very long posts backing the Iraq war. The habit spread through political blogs and then literary ones. On April 14, 2009, Post Modern Barney posted a list called Uncomfortable Plot Summaries, packed with tiny summaries of well-known books and films. Two weeks later, on April 28, 2009, a thread on the I Like Books message board turned this into a one-sentence game for novels. On June 14, 2013, the Tumblr blog 1sent launched on the same idea, boiling down books, movies and video games to a single sentence each. A classic example squeezes Jaws into a nuclear-armed country that cannot stop a shark.
- 2003Daniel Davies starts the format on Dsquared Digest.
- April 14, 2009Post Modern Barney publishes Uncomfortable Plot Summaries.
- April 28, 2009An I Like Books thread starts a one-sentence summary game.
- June 14, 2013The Tumblr blog 1sent launches.
How to use the “Shorter” meme
- Reply to a 3,000-word op-ed with its shorter in the comments.
- Sum up a cult film’s plot in one absurd sentence.
- Post a shorter of a corporate press release to expose how empty it is.
- Challenge friends to a one-line summary of the book everyone pretends to have read.
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The “Shorter” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 22584 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Collection | Memes World series 76 |
| Fame | 57/100 · #84 of 298 |
| Recycle value | 5 MemeCoins (15 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Shorter” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Shorter comes out of the Memes World series 76 as a common 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 5 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 “Shorter”
More cards of the Memes World series 76
Frequently asked questions
What is a shorter?
A shorter is a snarky one-line summary of a long or pretentious text. It keeps the core idea and drops the packaging.
Who invented the shorter?
According to Know Your Meme, Daniel Davies did, in 2003, on his blog Dsquared Digest.
What is the difference between a shorter and tl;dr?
A tl;dr saves you time. A shorter mocks, usually with a punchline or a hint of sarcasm.
How do I get the Shorter meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Shorter” is a common card of the Memes World series 76. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Shorter card?
It is a Common card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Know Your Meme — Shorter · checked on October 18, 2026.
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Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.