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The first account of the "Meanwhile in" meme appeared sometime in February 2010. A flipped image of a Holden Commodore (a very common Australian-made sedan) with the caption "Meanwhile in Australia" appeared on 4chan via /b/ board. The image alluded to the age-old joke that everything in Australia is "upside-down" (due to its southern hemisphere location), and the new meme quickly went viral across imageboard sites, blog networks and aggregator services. Since then, multiple variations with other countries and their stereotypes have been posted.

#2

Meanwhile In India

755points

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engineer_nope.avi 5 years ago

This should be everywhere

121points

#3

Meanwhile In Canada

749points

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Daria Z 5 years ago

I've only once seen a man in a women's bathroom, and that man was peeking in my stall from above. Well, I wasn't inclined to be as understanding as this ad tells me to :/

201points

Before there was the internet and memes there were books. This meme originates from a much older expression "Meanwhile, back at the X," a plot transition technique that is as old as Homer. It rose to popularity in the nineteenth century, when most novels were serialized in popular magazines.

#4

Meanwhile In London

735points

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sakora 5 years ago

What is on level 6?

143points

#5

Meanwhile In Japan

714points

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Cassim Dawjee 5 years ago

you mean there's another way?

149points

This literary strategy made its way to film and was used in silent movies when transitions were achieved through title cards interspersed between scenes. In the earliest days, studios didn’t make custom cards for each new movie, but instead used a set of stock cards: “One Year Later,” “Comes the Dawn,” and most famously “Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch” were the cards used when the action cutaway.

#6

Meanwhile In Montreal

708points

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Anna Wentz 5 years ago

Ahhhhhh so cool

70points

#7

Meanwhile In Japan

672points

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Troux 5 years ago

This is in Nara, Japan, where the deer are treated as fellow citizens.

251points

Radio programs took on the phrase as well for their popular Western programs - such as The Lone Ranger. "During the course of a battle between settlers and Indians or cowboys and outlaws, there would be a flashback to the ranch preceded by the caption (or radio message), “Meanwhile, back at the ranch.” The phrase became part of the common lexicon and was used in casual conversation. During Lyndon Johnson’s presidency (1963–69), according to William Safire, the phrase was used to refer to activities at the LBJ Ranch in Texas.

#8

Meanwhile In Singapore

655points

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Lucida 5 years ago (edited)

"This isn't Jersey Shore" haha

179points

#9

Meanwhile In The United Kingdom

652points

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engineer_nope.avi 5 years ago

Brutal

104points

While not everyone knows the origin, this phrase has evolved to take on a meaning all its own. According to Robert Hendrickson, author of the "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" (Facts on Files, New York, 1997) says: "meanwhile, back at the ranch. An expression that originated as a movie caption in the silent film era at the beginning of the century, these words are used humorously today when someone wants to get back to a story after going off on a tangent."

#10

Meanwhile In Texas

Just moved to Texas. Fitting in perfectly

wrigleyirish Report

645points

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engineer_nope.avi 5 years ago

*in David Attenborough's voice* Here, we are able to witness a wild Honda trying to blend in with his bigger cousins. It seems that he is doing quite well.

370points

#11

Meanwhile In Sweden

615points

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Rowlie 5 years ago

I assume the name was chosen by the public

200points

#12

Meanwhile In Japan

590points

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sakora 5 years ago

Truth in face! ;)

82points

#13

Meanwhile In Iceland

571points

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Elsker 5 years ago (edited)

makes me wonder what this place is, to be mistaken 4 a penis museum so often

183points

#14

Meanwhile In Japan

557points

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sakora 5 years ago (edited)

Super-Sayian-Gangham-Style-Yuppie-Salaryman

137points

#15

Meanwhile In Canada

543points

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Paul K. Johnson 5 years ago

Reminds me of Florida. You're sitting at a traffic light dry as a bone with the sun beating down on you and right across the intersection the cars have their wipers on high as buckets of rain is unleashed on them.

17points

#16

Meanwhile In Bosnia

533points

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Jody Brown 5 years ago

I'm being pignapped!

300points

#17

Meanwhile In Australia

533points

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BusLady 5 years ago

Good reindeer are hard to find.

126points

#18

Meanwhile In Russia. Seems Legit

526points

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Lil Bare 5 years ago

Residents better be urinating with precision and elegance upon this very sign of glamour and capitalism

174points

#19

Meanwhile In Texas

513points

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Cassim Dawjee 5 years ago

This is brilliant, super cool hard hat, I want one

148points

#20

Meanwhile In France

511points

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Rebekah Smith 5 years ago

It's llamaggedon

281points

#21

Meanwhile In Canada

507points

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Ford Summit 5 years ago

Thank you!

97points

#22

Meanwhile In Springfield, Ohio

498points

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sakora 5 years ago

Clear message.

108points

#23

Meanwhile In Japan

497points

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Cassim Dawjee 5 years ago

that scared the c**p out of me

140points

#24

Meanwhile In Alaska

497points

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Toujin C'Thlu 5 years ago

Anyone here old enough to remember 'Northern Exposure'?

270points

#25

Meanwhile In Florida

496points

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Chyppa Homer 5 years ago

Poor Pennywise...

236points

#26

Meanwhile In Canada

484points

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Lena Hudson 5 years ago

Darn them to heck!

237points

#27

Meanwhile In Minnesota

476points

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Jody Brown 5 years ago

This is Minnesota's official state Summer Sport.

133points

#28

Meanwhile In Texas

470points

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Amy Pattie 5 years ago

So, apparently other people in the world find this strange?

152points

#29

Meanwhile In Korea

459points

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Nini Meow 5 years ago

He is a Disney prince.. a bird on his hat and a bun ... Wow

141points

#30

Meanwhile In Finland, We Really Do Love Our Personal Space

454points

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Maja Lykkegaard 5 years ago

Isn't that universal? Definitely the same in Denmark.

95points

#31

Meanwhile In Canada

438points

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Koalamonster 5 years ago

No it's not on THAT Street it's on THE OTHER Street. Just go down This Street and turn right on The Other Street and you can't miss it.

200points

#32

Meanwhile In USA, While Dogs Nationwide Are Hiding Under Beds

432points

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Cat on a bike 5 years ago

Obviously, cause you know, cats are not animals, they are aliens.👽

150points

#33

Meanwhile In China (50 Lane Highway Merges Into 4)

417points

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Koalamonster 5 years ago

Who thought this would go well?

282points

#34

Meanwhile In Japan

408points

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engineer_nope.avi 5 years ago

When you have to fight for honor at 6, but you have to attend bike gang at 5

185points

#35

Meanwhile Park Benches In Finland

391points

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ravina nimje 5 years ago

Personal space

125points

#36

Meanwhile In Florida

387points

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Wyndmere 5 years ago

Did anyone read the sign below the sign?

222points

#37

Meanwhile Kearney, Nebraska

379points

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SacredPistachio 5 years ago

Resourcefulness at its finest.

113points

#38

Meanwhile In Poland

373points

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Wyndmere 5 years ago

Sisters from the Angels of Mercy Convent requested a car with wings. They got one.

233points

#39

Meanwhile In Sweden

358points

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Zoe Drake 5 years ago

That looks cool!

68points

#40

Meanwhile In Australia, High Is The Second Lowest Fire Danger Rating

353points

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Ceredwyn Ealanta 5 years ago

For those who are curious about the last one, Catastrophic has this definition: "For your survival, leaving early is the only option. Leave bush fire prone areas the night before." That is, basically, the fire fighters know they cannot control or affect a fire which starts in these conditions. NOTHING they can do will stop it, and if you are still at home, you are risking their lives by being there.

214points