Play

“That's What We Wanted You To Think” meme: meaning, origin and rare card

“That’s What We Wanted You To Think” is a Simpsons quote where a Russian diplomat reveals the USSR never actually collapsed.

MyMemeCards editorial teamPublished 9 min read
That's What We Wanted You To Think meme
The “That's What We Wanted You To Think” meme, 1998

Watch the ref

Nobody has added this meme's ref yet. Got the original video or post?

In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “That's What We Wanted You To Think” is a rare card of the Memes World series 72, number 21574 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 “That's What We Wanted You To Think” meme mean?

This phrase captures the mischievous thrill of deceiving others on a grand scale. It reframes a major historical event like the fall of the Soviet bloc as a mere theatrical trick. Users employ it to create humorous contrast between gravity and absurdity, or to mock suspicious official narratives.

Where does the “That's What We Wanted You To Think” meme come from?

The scene comes from the episode “Simpson Tide” (season 9, episode 19) of *The Simpsons*, aired on March 29, 1998. At the UN, a Russian representative announces amnesty for Homer. When the American reminds him of the USSR’s dissolution, the diplomat replies: “Nyet! That’s what we wanted you to think!”. He then flips his placard to reveal “Soviet Union”, while tanks and the Berlin Wall reappear. The joke relies on the absurd idea that the Soviet state was secretly preserved. The quote circulated as GIFs in the early 2010s, with notable posts on Reddit in September 2012 and February 2014.

  1. 1998The episode “Simpson Tide” airs the original scene on American television.
  2. 2012A screenshot of the quote is shared on the r/TheSimpsons subreddit on Reddit.
  3. 2017The official Ukrainian Twitter account uses the phrase in a diplomatic dispute with Russia.

How to use the “That's What We Wanted You To Think” meme

  • Share this image to mock a government explanation deemed uncredible during a public scandal.
  • Use it in a comment to ironically suggest a recent viral trend is actually manipulated by a large corporation.
  • Quote it to highlight the absurdity of a popular conspiracy theory by playing on the original line's serious tone.

Also searched as

  • Nyet! That’s what we wanted you to think!
  • That is what we wanted you to think
  • simpsons russian ambassador quote
  • that's what we wanted you to think meme
  • that's what we wanted you to think meaning
  • that's what we wanted you to think origin
  • simpsons episode that's what we wanted you to think
  • russian simpson soviet union
  • quote that's what we wanted you to think definition

The “That's What We Wanted You To Think” card in MyMemeCards

That's What We Wanted You To Think card
NumberNo. 21574
RarityRare
CollectionMemes World series 72
Fame67/100 · #241 of 300
Recycle value10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny)
Rarities of the Memes World series 72: 300 cards
  • Rare300100%

How to get the “That's What We Wanted You To Think” card

Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; That's What We Wanted You To Think 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 “That's What We Wanted You To Think”

More cards of the Memes World series 72

Every card of the Memes World series 72 →

Frequently asked questions

What does that's what we wanted you to think mean?

It is a cult Simpsons quote where a Russian diplomat claims the USSR collapse was a setup. The internet uses it to announce conspiracy revelations.

That's what we wanted you to think origin?

The phrase comes from “Simpson Tide”, aired March 29, 1998. A Russian diplomat there fictively reveals the Soviet Union still exists in secret.

Who is the russian ambassador in simpsons?

He is an anonymous character in “Simpson Tide”. He embodies the stereotype of a Soviet liar hiding the truth behind a fake political collapse.

How to use that's what we wanted you to think?

Use it to suggest an event is an orchestrated illusion. It works for absurd jokes or criticizing official narratives alike.

How do I get the That's What We Wanted You To Think meme card?

Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “That's What We Wanted You To Think” 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 That's What We Wanted You To Think card?

It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.

Sources: That's What We Wanted You To Think Meme Explained · That's What We Wanted You To Think | Know Your Meme · The Simpsons and Russia: A tale of love and hate · checked on October 14, 2026.

Read next

Want That's What We Wanted You To Think in your collection?

Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.

Open your free pack