Hustle culture memes are making a big return on sites like Instagram and TikTok, thanks to a meme format about the things to say to the people in your life.

This viral meme format takes aspects of the "Rare Fish Market" memes and puts a fun spin on them to offer up the worst kind of advice regarding what you should say to people like your partner's parents and even your pet.

But what exactly is the "Things To Say" meme, and where did it come from? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Things To Say' Meme?

The "Things To Say" meme originates from a post by TikToker @cawkringinvestor made in mid-August 2026. The original meme offers ironic advice on things that you should say to your partner after "cracking," a slang term referring to the act of "getting intimate."

The listed advice jokingly claims you should say things like, "Can I pay with card?" and "Woohoo!"

In late August, the meme started to spread further across TikTok and Instagram Reels as users posted their own takes on the format, pairing an image of a stereotypically cool celebrity with a long list of things to say to a given subject.

How Is 'Things To Say' Used In Memes?

As a meme, the "Things To Say" format follows a simple structure. Each meme shows a photograph of a notable celebrity or public figure next to a lengthy list of things to say to a given subject. These subjects are far-ranging, from parents to teachers to pets, and the list goes on.

The meme is somewhat comparable to the classic "Advice Dog" memes, which pair obviously bad advice with an image of a dog.

This time, however, rather than a dog trying to convince you to say or do something bad, it's your favorite stereotypically cool celebrity or fictional character.

What Are Some More 'Things To Say' Memes?

---

For the full history of the Things To Say meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.