What is the 'NPC Theory' that some people believe about others, and where did it originate online?

What is the “NPC Theory”?

The “NPC Theory” is the idea that some real‑life people are a lot like non‑player characters (NPCs) in video games. In game terms, an NPC is a character run by code, not a real player, and tends to show predictable, limited behaviour [3][5][6]. The theory borrows that analogy and suggests that certain individuals lack genuine consciousness or an inner voice, just going through the motions and reacting in scripted ways [2][4][51][53].

Proponents often point to a couple of ideas:

• You can’t experience someone else’s mind directly, so they might seem like a simple “collection of functions” from the outside [1].
• A study that found many people don’t have an inner dialogue is sometimes used to support the theory [2].
• Those labelled “NPCs” are described as predictable, rigid, and lacking full “interactivity” ― almost like they run in a power‑saving mode compared to a “player” [4][50][53].

Online, calling someone an “NPC” became an insult meaning that person can’t think for themselves or just repeats the same buzzwords [52][42].

Where did it originate online?

The NPC concept took off as an internet meme, and its roots can be traced to a few places:

• Earliest online use as an insult: Before the meme, people were already calling others “NPCs” on the web. Urban Dictionary had insulting definitions as early as 2008, and by 2010 the LessWrong subculture used the term for people who blindly follow rules [14][15][62][63].

• The NPC Wojak meme on 4chan (the key origin):
  The idea became a recognizable meme when the “NPC Wojak” character was created in July 2016 (first appearance July 7). It was drawn by an anonymous author and first shared on the imageboard 4chan [7][8][9][12][55][56]. The post that inspired it described people who constantly rely on “the same buzzwords and hackneyed arguments” ― just like a video game NPC that repeats the exact same lines when you talk to it twice [11][59].

  A Reddit explanation adds that the meme began on 4chan’s /pol/ (politically incorrect) board after someone posted a study suggesting many people lack an internal monologue [46]. Others recall it started as a harmless joke among 4chan users about how people connect with the world [95].

• Going mainstream and political:
  The meme really blew up during Donald Trump’s first presidency [18][20][27]. It became a favourite insult in pro‑Trump and far‑right circles, often aimed at liberals [16][22][29][49][64][70]. In the weeks before the 2018 US midterm elections it gained huge attention [17][65]. Major outlets like The New York Times and the BBC covered it, calling it “a collective mascot for the far‑right commenters” [19][23][67].

• Later evolutions:
  Variants like the “I Support The Current Thing” meme (2022) and the surge of TikTok “NPC Streamers” kept the concept alive and spreading [32][33][35][36][39][80][81][83][86].

So while the insult had earlier roots, the modern “NPC Theory” and its meme form were born on 4chan in July 2016, with the NPC Wojak, and quickly grew into a widely‑shared way to accuse others of acting like unthinking video‑game characters.