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The Cosmic Conspiracy: 9 Reasons Why The 'Always Has Been' Astronaut Meme Still Rules The Internet In 2025

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The 'Always Has Been' astronaut meme is arguably one of the most enduring and philosophically profound templates in internet history, and as of late 2025, its relevance has only intensified. What began as a niche joke about a single US state has exploded into a universal shorthand for shocking revelations, hidden truths, and the unsettling feeling that a vast, simple conspiracy has been right under our noses all along. Its power lies in its elegant simplicity: a moment of cosmic realization followed by a cold, immediate confirmation.

This meme transcends fleeting trends because it taps into a deep, human curiosity—the desire to uncover the "real" story behind the mundane. In a world saturated with information, the image of two astronauts, one realizing a fundamental truth about Earth and the other ready to silence him, perfectly captures the feeling of a profound, yet obvious, secret. It’s a cultural touchstone that continues to evolve, finding new life in political commentary, niche subcultures, and even corporate branding in 2025.

The Shocking Origin and Anatomy of the 'Always Has Been' Meme

The meme’s structure is a masterclass in comedic timing and visual storytelling, but its journey from a crude drawing to a high-fidelity template is a fascinating piece of internet archaeology.

The Humble Beginnings: 'Wait, It's All Ohio?'

The original iteration of the meme emerged on the infamous 4chan imageboard in 2019, specifically on the /v/ (video games) board. The initial drawing was a cartoonish depiction of two figures in space, with the punchline focused on the US state of Ohio. The dialogue was simple, yet instantly viral:

  • Astronaut 1 (The Discoverer): “Wait, it’s all Ohio?”
  • Astronaut 2 (The Confirmer): “Always has been.”

This joke played on a long-running internet gag about Ohio's disproportionate representation or its perceived status as a mundane, yet secretly dominant, entity in the world. The meme quickly migrated to Reddit and Twitter, where users began replacing "Ohio" with literally anything else, from abstract concepts to specific video game lore.

Anatomy of the Perfect Cosmic Betrayal

The meme’s enduring power comes from its key visual elements and the implied narrative. The template features two astronauts, typically in a photorealistic style, orbiting Earth.

  • The Discoverer (Astronaut on the Left): This figure is looking at Earth, often with the text bubble expressing a shocking realization: "Wait, it's all [X]?"
  • The Confirmer/Assassin (Astronaut on the Right): This figure is typically holding a pistol, aimed at the Discoverer’s head, with the chillingly calm response: "Always has been." The presence of the gun introduces a dark, conspiratorial layer—the truth is so dangerous it must be silenced immediately.

This simple two-panel setup creates a powerful narrative arc: realization, confirmation, and immediate, fatal consequence. It’s a story of a hidden truth that has been obvious all along, making the Discoverer's shock a moment of profound, self-inflicted irony.

The Enduring Topical Authority in 2025: Why It's Still Fresh

Despite its age, the 'Always Has Been' meme has avoided the "meme graveyard" by proving itself to be an infinitely exploitable template for contemporary issues. In 2025, its use has become more sophisticated, moving beyond simple jokes to comment on complex systems and long-held beliefs.

1. The Programmer Humor Phenomenon

One of the most active niches for the meme in 2025 is in the world of software development and IT. The "Programmer Humor" subreddits frequently use the template to mock the fundamental, often-hidden, and usually messy truths of coding.

  • Realization: "Wait, the entire multi-billion dollar platform is just a bunch of 'if' statements?"
  • Confirmation: "Always has been."

This application speaks to the frustration of engineers who realize that complex, modern technology often rests on surprisingly simple, sometimes unstable, foundations—a classic cosmic-level secret of the tech world.

2. Political and Social Commentary

The meme is a perfect vehicle for expressing cynical or conspiratorial views on politics and society. In the current climate of global uncertainty and rapid technological change, the "astronaut discovers conspiracy" template is used to comment on everything from economic systems to historical revisionism. For example, a meme might show the Earth being entirely made of "corporate interests" or "unpaid labor," with the 'Always Has Been' line serving as a resigned, yet powerful, critique.

3. The Meta-Meme Evolution

The meme has also evolved into a "meta-meme," where the subject of the realization is the meme culture itself. Users create versions where the Earth is revealed to be made of "reposts," "low-effort content," or even "other memes." This self-referential humor keeps the template fresh by commenting on the state of the internet in real-time. The joke is no longer about the secret, but about the fact that all secrets eventually become memes.

15 Entities and LSI Keywords That Define the Meme’s Universe

To truly understand the depth of the 'Always Has Been' phenomenon, one must recognize the constellation of related concepts and keywords that it encompasses. These entities form the meme’s topical authority:

  • Core Entities: Ohio, Astronauts, Conspiracy, Betrayal, Shocking Revelation, Hidden Truths.
  • LSI Keywords/Variations: Wait it's all just Ohio, Two Astronauts Betrayal, Astronaut Gun, Astronaut Lie, Astronaut Discovers Conspiracy, Cosmic Revelation, Programmer Humor, Baja Blast.
  • Psychological Trope: The trope of realizing a simple, yet profound, truth that was overlooked.
  • Template Names: Always Has Been Blank Meme Template, Astronaut Assassination (referencing the gun element).

The inclusion of terms like "Baja Blast" (a reference to a specific soda often joked about in the meme's early days) alongside "Cosmic Revelation" perfectly illustrates the meme's ability to seamlessly blend the absurdly trivial with the profoundly existential.

The Psychological Appeal: Why We Love to Be in on the Secret

The lasting success of the 'Always Has Been' meme is rooted in a simple psychological principle: the satisfaction of uncovering a secret. The user, by understanding and sharing the meme, immediately places themselves in the position of the Confirmer, or at least someone who is "in on" the cosmic joke.

This dynamic creates a sense of shared, insider knowledge. When someone posts a version of the meme, they are essentially saying, "I know the truth, and now you do too." The meme acts as a cultural filter, instantly identifying those who share a particular understanding, whether it's about a video game's mechanics, a political system's flaws, or the sheer absurdity of life itself. In 2025, as the world feels increasingly complex, the meme offers a comforting, if dark, simplification: everything is just one thing, and it always has been.

The 'Always Has Been' astronaut meme is far more than a passing internet joke. It is a modern philosophical template, a visual koan that perfectly encapsulates the moment of realizing a truth so obvious, so fundamental, that it makes you question everything you thought you knew. Its ability to adapt to any topic, from Ohio to corporate governance, ensures its place as a viral powerhouse, cementing its status as a timeless piece of internet lore that will continue to resonate well beyond 2025.

The Cosmic Conspiracy: 9 Reasons Why the 'Always Has Been' Astronaut Meme Still Rules the Internet in 2025
always has been astronaut meme
always has been astronaut meme

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