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Most men can be fathers, but it takes special effort to be called a dad. And a rad dad? Well, that's just a next-level accomplishment in the dad community.

Instagram page Rad Dad posts memes about stereotypical upper-middle-class American dads, e.g. Middle-aged dad who refreshes himself with a can of cold beer after mowing the lawn in his New Balance sneakers. The fact that they are described as rad and not cool or lit adds to the homage for today's middle-aged dads, as it is '80s slang, the decade when many of them were youngsters. Bored Panda selected the pinnacle Rad Dad TM memes from the page for you to chuckle at.

More info: Instagram | middleclassfancy

The page has merchandise: their designs of t-shirts, marble grey sweaters, and caps masterfully capture the style of rad dads and since they are illustrated with stuff like grills and embroidered New Balance sneakers, the whole apparel becomes super meta. Middle Class Fancy, the company that sells the merch, has its own meme page we recently wrote about. Middle Class Fancy and Rad Dad content sometimes overlap, as many of these dads do cookouts in their back yards, suggesting they are middle class.

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    Ryan Deschanel
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It totally sounds like the plot of a bad movie that could exist.

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    Older dads of today might have noticed that not only is their youth slang back in right now, but fashion too. It seems that gen Z and alpha kids have found and brought back their dads' clothes from the eighties and nineties in secondhand stores, got bowl or mullet hairstyles, and started vlogging. Or flooded the streets, creating flashbacks into their youth for these rad dads. Just try to imagine a 55-year-old today teaching their son how to keep their mullet pristine or what bomber jacket goes with which basketball shoes.

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    #6

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    S.
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was going to make a joke about the application form, but sadly, it's tearable.

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    J. Normal
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And that is the start of the 1st epic water fight, hopefully the whole family will join in! Ours ended up with the hose, super soakers and garbage can lids!

    best turtle
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    and then the angry child attempting to brawl starts charging at you

    Mazer
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    CORRECTION: Getting someone pregnant makes you a sperm donor

    Vicky Zar
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I disagree. Getting someone pregnant, just makes you a sperm donor.

    Miguel justino C
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    100 percent! Had my 5 year old look at the air compressor nozzle while I was doing his bike tires. It’s broken, is something stuck in there? Cue spray of air right into his face. He cried, I felt bad took him for ice cream.

    oddkiddo
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A dad who will someday wonder why his kids haven't called for years..

    Chloe *Leah* Pheonix
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "And set old faithful off in their face" that's it I've officially laughed myself to death

    Panda Kicki
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    TIL what Old Faithful is. Have seen ut sometimes and sort of put it down to some kind of bad plumbing, but apparently it was a geyser.

    Moya Satterwhite
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Checking in at a doctors office, I was asked by the father of toddlers if putting a little water in a baby pool and topping it with leaves was a good idea to trick them. I told him that they were too young to trick them like that, and his wife would kill him because they’d have wet clothes and would be upset. I suggested that they’d probably do it to each other when they were older.

    Ryan Deschanel
    Community Member
    3 years ago

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    Not, it makes you a person whose funerals won't be paid for.

    Kaleb
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's why you have more than one - you just need at least one just as twisted as you

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    Interestingly, the style of rad dads is not tied to a specific decade or generation so strictly. It appears that many dads just develop the same sense of casualwear style as they turn middle aged and these trends haven't changed much for over two decades now, much like middle-aged women cutting their hair short.

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    Vicky Z
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In a parallel universe a seal dad is wishing happy birthday to his kid too (right)

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    Scagsy
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That, ladies and gentlemen, is what a Legend looks like. (Yes, with a capital 'L' - he's that good).

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    With anything English slang, the authoritative source of explanation is user contribution-driven Urban Dictionary. Here is the top explanation of a "Rad dad": "1. any dad who spends quality time with his kid as much as possible. 2. dads who surf, skate, snowboard or any extreme activity and teach their kids. 3. dads with long hair, mohawks or body piercings and dont give a shite what anybody else thinks."

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    Requiem
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Im a people watcher and have done loss prevention and can see two people at different ends of a store and know whos together and who isnt.

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    What makes dads rad for you? Do these stereotypes apply to dads in your culture? What elements of dad culture have you adopted? Is it starting to take double chin selfies with a great view of salt and pepper nose hair? Growing a beer belly over the quarantine's baby boom? Share in the comments below, let's make it a safe space for rad dads.

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    Manndy Fisher
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Buhahaha, the literal translation from other languages is always brilliant!

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    Scagsy
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When they close the bar back up they are literally causing a fence.

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    iblowsheep
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    yeah but by that age it;s more likely they have done something to deserve the torture.

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    Kevin Erdős–Bacon
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No, don't argue about who's going home - revel in being on the same wavelength!

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    Manndy Fisher
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You forgot left in random places glasses with vodka so kid would think it was a water

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    California Jones
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Been there. 🙄 Then he told me I was being lazy, I just needed to focus, and eventually I was just useless. Wonder why I have a panic attack when I see equations, and failed algebra...?

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    Monic Krugell
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    and then phone their wives about everything that they actually needed in their bags for the day

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    Jessica Rabbit
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This made me laugh really hard. My husband and I have always liked to BBQ, but once he turned 35 we got a smoker and have been into it since hahaha

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    Manndy Fisher
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And now if you will be lucky to get house like this you won't be able to afford family or shoes..

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    Monic Krugell
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    lol - I could feel the uncomforted need for someone to wake up, but the want for them to stay asleep.....

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    Rachel Cobb
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Replace the beer with Pepsi zero, and you've got my dad and me! 😁😅

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    Scagsy
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Almost true. You have to include cops and firemen. Maybe even a builder.

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    iblowsheep
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    HOLY S**T. I do not want to know how much money that dude spent that day.

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