User feeds on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok now consist of memes and videos based around the possibility of WWIII. Currently known as the first meme of the decade, WWIII memes make a laugh out of the idea of war and what the future may be like. The term “World War 3” began trending Friday after the airstrike. 

On TikTok there are currently 1.3 billion views under the hashtag “ww3” and 311.9 million views under the hashtag “worldwar3.” 

    The main culprit of these memes are those belonging to Generation Z, ranging from 7 to 22-years-old who have been making their predictions of what war will be like and how they will respond to being on the battlefield. Many of the memes, videos and gifs show how teens plan on avoiding the draft and dancing their way through the battlefield. 

While most find the memes comical, there is a dark underlying message that Gen Z may have serious coping mechanism issues. What seems like a sick joke to other generations is how Gen Zer’s are dealing with their emotions of fear and anxiety. 

No matter the angle its looked at from, social users are currently dancing on the thin line between making light of a dark situation and joking about the idea of world wide chaos and potential loss of life.

    Soldiers have also taken their views on the possibility of a world war and the memes that come along with it to social media. The circumstances that these jokes are being made under is no laughing matter to many American soldiers. 

Those that have taken their concerns to social media say that this is not something to joke about as if it is a game. They are asking for our positive thoughts and prayers rather than the foolish attitude that they are currently receiving.