this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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Why do people keep adding this to their comments? Are they checking notes? Why do they feel the need to point it out if they are? Why are they saying they are if they aren't? It's like me adding "scratching head" to my comment, which I just did, but I have no idea why that adds anything to the conversation.

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[–] kelpie_returns@lemmy.world 77 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's a joke. They are pretending they can't remember the very obvious/absurd/silly/etc thing, so they have to check their notes before finishing the thought.

I think it might have its origin in courtroom dramas having prosecutors being catty with the defense but that's just a barely informed guess tbh

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 47 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It's just a fad. Speech mannerisms also come and go with the times. Right now it's popular to use it, and people use it.

[–] justsomeguy@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It do be like that. Many of them get repeated till they reach a critical point and everyone is sick of them. Some of them are harder to tolerate than others though. I can deal with people 'checking notes' here and there but those who use "literally" as every second word in their sentences awaken a primal rage inside of me that is yearning for rock to split skull. Luckily that trend isn't as prevalent as it used to be back in the day.

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

OK but the dictionary literally modified the definition to I clude "figuratively" because language is alive and unwell

[–] Odo@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

That "modern" definition of literally is at least 250 years old. It wasn't created by the internet, or even any living person.

there but those who use "literally" as every second word in their sentences awaken a primal rage inside of me that is yearning for rock to split skull.

I hard agree. Misuse of literal is a problem many decades old and it hurts still

[–] SARGE@startrek.website 6 points 1 week ago

And with all fads, it's cyclical. But on the internet, things move quicker so instead of 20-30 years, it's more like 5-10.

fr fr on God no cap

[–] rtxn@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

For dramatization, when some event is so stupidly, unexpectedly bizarre that you have to check your figurative notes to make sure you're not just remembering a fever dream. Example:

America is rolling back renewable energy development to promote the use of beautiful, clean... (checks notes...) coal, of all fucking things.

[–] HappyTimeHarry@lemm.ee 25 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Its similar to a dramtic... . . . . . . . .

collapsed inline media
..

.. .... pause!

[–] gilgameth@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago

Checks notes it's for dramatization, joke, etc.

[–] TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 21 points 1 week ago

checks notes

Not sure I didn’t write anything down I was just doodling

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 18 points 1 week ago

When something is really unbelievable (or sarcasticly unbelievable) people add “checks notes” to signify that they had to check their notes (figuratively) to make sure that they aren’t saying something false

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I believe it came from the popularity of Jon Stewart who often uses it as a joke catch phrase.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catchphrase

People picked up on it and use it to imitate this style.

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Personally, I initially saw a version of it in Sluggy Freelance.

[–] Crackhappy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

And every courtroom drama, like checks notes My Cousin Vinny.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I looked at the script and it's not in My Cousin Vinny. Is it ad-libbed somewhere?

[–] rebelsimile@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago

Check the notes.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago
[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago

Life, uh, finds a way Life... Finds a way Life [checks notes] finds a way
Life,,, finds a way Life [deep breath] finds a way Life [lean away from the microphone to breathe in] finds a way Life [scratches head] finds a way?
Life [gestures vaguely to day care center] finds a way

They are performative modifiers to add visual context to text. Imagine you're reading a script for a play. The author adds notes like some of the examples above, in a similar format, in order to better convey what they want the actors to do, by text alone, to better convey the author's intent to the audience.

[–] Letme@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

John Stewart on the Daily Show, look him up

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

We all got our verbal tics. Also an attempt to add some more complexity to our communication, since we’re missing things like facial expressions or body language or environmental cues.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

it actually reached its peak in 2018 per this slate article: https://slate.com/technology/2018/08/checks-notes-was-the-perfect-trump-era-twitter-joke-lets-let-it-die.html

It was a big Twitter meme, like Yo Dawg I Heard You Like..., or Hawk Tuah, or Trogdor or whatever. People hear funny thing, repeat funny thing.

[–] deadcatbounce@reddthat.com 5 points 1 week ago

Hell, I remember a time people just said "um", "er" quietly and paused between words when they hadn't thought the thought through.

Instead now they use 'like' as a space between words whilst the processing is still taking place.

It gets real confusing when what they're explaining is the concept of similes.

[–] Justas@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago

checks notes

It's 80+ pages that only say "fuck"

[–] jasoman@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

I see it as "Looks back at history and sigh heavily" but with fewer words.

[–] s38b35M5@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

It's :checksnotes: sarcasm.

[–] GiveOver@feddit.uk 1 points 1 week ago (2 children)

At least it's becoming less common for people to start comments with "Imagine..."

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 3 points 1 week ago

I wonder if you can

[–] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

[looks to audience]

Imagine being this concerned about typed memes

[–] Opinionhaver@feddit.uk -1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's the current trendy thing to say. Kind of like the term "executive dysfunction"

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca -2 points 1 week ago

They used to say that prior to the computer phones. Now it is an antiquated saying that people use for fun.

[–] Kanda@reddthat.com -4 points 1 week ago

Check your autism, maybe you'll figure it out