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URLhttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html
Last Crawled2026-03-05 05:55:51 (1 month ago)
First Indexed2017-01-22 14:06:59 (9 years ago)
HTTP Status Code200
Meta TitleWhy ‘This Is Fine’ Is the Meme This Year Deserves - The New York Times
Meta DescriptionA dog. A cup of coffee. A fire. Derived from a webcomic, the image is a bit like those “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters, with an absurdist twist.
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Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Credit... KC Green Aug. 5, 2016 During the Democratic National Convention, the Republican Party shared a popular meme to Twitter: a two-frame comic of a dog sitting at a table with a cup of coffee. The room is on fire. This is fine. The meme, derived from a webcomic by the 29-year-old illustrator K.C. Green, is a bit like those “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters, just with an absurdist twist. It is halfway between a shrug and complete denial of reality. “It’s a basic concept that can apply to a lot of differing situations,” Mr. Green wrote in an email on Wednesday. “That’s the whole idea behind memes and the like.” Many memes, like “ Dat Boi ” or “ Damn, Daniel ,” exemplify the sort of flash-in-the-pan nonsense that can briefly take over pop culture before vanishing. But a durable meme, like “ Crying Jordan ” or “This Is Fine,” allows people to use it as cultural commentary . “This Is Fine,” which is actually part of a larger comic created for Mr. Green’s webcomic series “Gunshow” in 2013, has inspired fan art and a number of derivative works on websites like Tumblr. The illustration reached the political mainstream with the G.O.P.’s tweet, and what followed was a relatively unusual exchange between the political establishment and an artist. The Republicans had not compensated Mr. Green. (It’s common for musicians to criticize a political candidate’s use of their song, but a cartoonist criticizing the use of a meme derived from his art? That’s new.) “Having this comic and other images from my past works be made into memes before, this was really nothing completely new,” Mr. Green said of his reasoning for creating the elephant image. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t get to like some of the people who do use it, including the G.O.P.” Slate saw the Republican tweet as a meme-ruining development: “The trouble with such tweets — whether they’re coming from left or right — is that they’re mostly going to make sense to people who will discard them as soon as they spread too far,” Jacob Brogan wrote. But another chapter appears to have given the meme new life: Mr. Green issued an update through The Nib, called This Is Not Fine , in which the dog wakes up from his stupor and panics. “I thought it would be more angry when I was writing,” he said, “but it turned into more just losing your cool in a situation, which reflects better, I think.” In an email, Matt Bors, an editor of The Nib, said the update was commissioned because “2016 has been such a gross, depressing slog.” He added: “You acclimate to the crazy, you think ‘this is fine.’ It’s not. We needed that dog to come back.” In this case, with the staying power comes the merchandise: A Kickstarter campaign launched this week has raised more than $200,000 to manufacture a plush This Is Fine toy. In the meantime, Mr. Green also continues to work on other projects: He writes and draws “He Is a Good Boy,” a webcomic about an acorn that explores themes of horror, gore and existentialism. This is fine. Related Content More in Arts ABC Daniel Smith/Prime Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation Courtesy of the Foundation and Gladstone Seth Herald/Reuters Editors’ Picks Image by Eric Striffler for The New York Times Kate Warren for The New York Times Trending in The Times Janet Mac Kristian Thacker for The New York Times Damon Winter/The New York Times Brill/ullstein bild, via Getty Images Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group Andy Clark/Reuters Ishara S. Kodikara/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The New York Times Liam Kennedy for The New York Times Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
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[Skip to content](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#site-content)[Skip to site index](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#site-index) Search & Section Navigation Section Navigation Search [Arts](https://www.nytimes.com/section/arts) [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fsubscription%2Fonboarding-offer%3FcampaignId%3D7JFJX%26EXIT_URI%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2016%252F08%252F06%252Farts%252Fthis-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html&asset=masthead) Thursday, March 5, 2026 [Today’s Paper](https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper) [Arts](https://www.nytimes.com/section/arts)\|Why ‘This Is Fine’ Is the Meme This Year Deserves https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html - Share full article Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#after-top) Supported by [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#after-sponsor) # Why ‘This Is Fine’ Is the Meme This Year Deserves - Share full article ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/08/05/us/05onfire1_xp/05onfire1_xp-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...KC Green By [Katie Rogers](http://www.nytimes.com/by/katie-rogers) - Aug. 5, 2016 During the Democratic National Convention, the Republican Party [shared a popular meme](https://twitter.com/GOP/status/757687865471963137) to Twitter: a two-frame comic of a dog sitting at a table with a cup of coffee. The room is on fire. This is fine. The meme, derived from a webcomic by the 29-year-old illustrator K.C. Green, is a bit like those “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters, just with an absurdist twist. It is halfway between a shrug and complete denial of reality. “It’s a basic concept that can apply to a lot of differing situations,” Mr. Green wrote in an email on Wednesday. “That’s the whole idea behind memes and the like.” Many memes, like “[Dat Boi](http://www.dailydot.com/unclick/dat-boi-frog-unicycle-meme/)” or “[Damn, Daniel](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/style/damn-daniel-video-vans.html),” exemplify the sort of flash-in-the-pan nonsense that can briefly take over pop culture before vanishing. But a durable meme, like “[Crying Jordan](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/arts/crying-jordan-the-meme-that-just-wont-die.html)” or “This Is Fine,” allows people to use it as [cultural commentary](https://twitter.com/JuliaCarmel__/status/754075688689369088). “This Is Fine,” which is actually part of a [larger comic](http://gunshowcomic.com/648) created for Mr. Green’s webcomic series “Gunshow” in 2013, has inspired fan art and a [number of derivative works](https://www.tumblr.com/search/this+is+fine) on websites like Tumblr. The illustration reached the political mainstream with the G.O.P.’s tweet, and what followed was a relatively unusual exchange between the political establishment and an artist. The Republicans had not compensated Mr. Green. > . [@GOP](https://twitter.com/GOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) We actually paid the artist who made this. Here's what he came up with. [pic.twitter.com/4D4bmx9ccp](https://t.co/4D4bmx9ccp) > > — The Nib ✒️ (@thenib) [July 26, 2016](https://twitter.com/thenib/status/757790230350929921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) (It’s common for musicians to criticize a political candidate’s use of their song, but a cartoonist criticizing the use of a meme derived from his art? That’s new.) “Having this comic and other images from my past works be made into memes before, this was really nothing completely new,” Mr. Green said of his reasoning for creating the elephant image. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t get to like some of the people who do use it, including the G.O.P.” [Slate](http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/07/how_the_gop_ruined_this_is_fine_dog.html) saw the Republican tweet as a meme-ruining development: “The trouble with such tweets — whether they’re coming from left or right — is that they’re mostly going to make sense to people who will discard them as soon as they spread too far,” Jacob Brogan wrote. But another chapter appears to have given the meme new life: Mr. Green issued an update through The Nib, called [This Is Not Fine](https://thenib.com/this-is-not-fine), in which the dog wakes up from his stupor and panics. “I thought it would be more angry when I was writing,” he said, “but it turned into more just losing your cool in a situation, which reflects better, I think.” In an email, Matt Bors, an editor of The Nib, said the update was commissioned because “2016 has been such a gross, depressing slog.” He added: “You acclimate to the crazy, you think ‘this is fine.’ It’s not. We needed that dog to come back.” In this case, with the staying power comes the merchandise: A Kickstarter campaign [launched this week](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kcgreen/this-is-fine-plush-dog) has raised more than \$200,000 to manufacture a plush This Is Fine toy. In the meantime, Mr. Green also continues to work on other projects: He writes and draws [“He Is a Good Boy,”](http://hiagb.com/) a webcomic about an acorn that explores themes of horror, gore and existentialism. This is fine. ## Editors’ Picks [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/10/well/10WELL-ASK-EMOTIONAL-DRINKING1/03WELL-ASK-EMOTIONAL-DRINKING1-thumbLarge.jpg)Why Does Drinking Mess With My Emotions?](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/well/mind/alcohol-emotions-hangovers.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/multimedia/04ST-STAPLES-BADDIE-02-zjpt/04ST-STAPLES-BADDIE-02-zjpt-thumbLarge.jpg)Office Supply Store Employee? Please, She’s the Staples Baddie.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/style/staples-baddie-tiktok.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/02/well/02WELL-GLP-1-MUSCLES-image/02WELL-GLP-1-MUSCLES-image-thumbLarge.jpg)Why You Shouldn’t Panic About GLP-1 Muscle Loss](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/well/glp-1-muscle-loss.html) Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#after-pp_edpick) See more on: [Republican Party](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/organization/republican-party), [Kickstarter](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/kickstarter) - Share full article ### Related Coverage [Crying Jordan: The Meme That Just Won’t Die June 3, 2016 ![Crying Jordan: The Meme That Just Won’t Die](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/06/04/arts/04CRYING/04CRYING-thumbLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/arts/crying-jordan-the-meme-that-just-wont-die.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer) [We Should Probably Have a Conversation About ‘Damn, Daniel’ Feb. 25, 2016 ![We Should Probably Have a Conversation About ‘Damn, Daniel’](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/02/26/arts/26xp-DANIEL/26xp-DANIEL-thumbLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/style/damn-daniel-video-vans.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer) [Drake: Rapper, Actor, Meme Oct. 23, 2015 ![Drake: Rapper, Actor, Meme](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/10/24/arts/24drakeart2/24drakeart2-thumbLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/24/arts/music/drake-rapper-actor-meme.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer) ## Related Content ### [More in Arts](https://www.nytimes.com/section/arts) - [Jimmy Kimmel Wants to Host the White House Correspondents’ Dinner](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/arts/television/kimmel-white-house-correspondents-dinner.html) ![“Can you imagine? 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Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#after-top) ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/08/05/us/05onfire1_xp/05onfire1_xp-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...KC Green - Aug. 5, 2016 During the Democratic National Convention, the Republican Party [shared a popular meme](https://twitter.com/GOP/status/757687865471963137) to Twitter: a two-frame comic of a dog sitting at a table with a cup of coffee. The room is on fire. This is fine. The meme, derived from a webcomic by the 29-year-old illustrator K.C. Green, is a bit like those “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters, just with an absurdist twist. It is halfway between a shrug and complete denial of reality. “It’s a basic concept that can apply to a lot of differing situations,” Mr. Green wrote in an email on Wednesday. “That’s the whole idea behind memes and the like.” Many memes, like “[Dat Boi](http://www.dailydot.com/unclick/dat-boi-frog-unicycle-meme/)” or “[Damn, Daniel](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/style/damn-daniel-video-vans.html),” exemplify the sort of flash-in-the-pan nonsense that can briefly take over pop culture before vanishing. But a durable meme, like “[Crying Jordan](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/arts/crying-jordan-the-meme-that-just-wont-die.html)” or “This Is Fine,” allows people to use it as [cultural commentary](https://twitter.com/JuliaCarmel__/status/754075688689369088). “This Is Fine,” which is actually part of a [larger comic](http://gunshowcomic.com/648) created for Mr. Green’s webcomic series “Gunshow” in 2013, has inspired fan art and a [number of derivative works](https://www.tumblr.com/search/this+is+fine) on websites like Tumblr. The illustration reached the political mainstream with the G.O.P.’s tweet, and what followed was a relatively unusual exchange between the political establishment and an artist. The Republicans had not compensated Mr. Green. (It’s common for musicians to criticize a political candidate’s use of their song, but a cartoonist criticizing the use of a meme derived from his art? That’s new.) “Having this comic and other images from my past works be made into memes before, this was really nothing completely new,” Mr. Green said of his reasoning for creating the elephant image. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t get to like some of the people who do use it, including the G.O.P.” [Slate](http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/07/how_the_gop_ruined_this_is_fine_dog.html) saw the Republican tweet as a meme-ruining development: “The trouble with such tweets — whether they’re coming from left or right — is that they’re mostly going to make sense to people who will discard them as soon as they spread too far,” Jacob Brogan wrote. But another chapter appears to have given the meme new life: Mr. Green issued an update through The Nib, called [This Is Not Fine](https://thenib.com/this-is-not-fine), in which the dog wakes up from his stupor and panics. “I thought it would be more angry when I was writing,” he said, “but it turned into more just losing your cool in a situation, which reflects better, I think.” In an email, Matt Bors, an editor of The Nib, said the update was commissioned because “2016 has been such a gross, depressing slog.” He added: “You acclimate to the crazy, you think ‘this is fine.’ It’s not. We needed that dog to come back.” In this case, with the staying power comes the merchandise: A Kickstarter campaign [launched this week](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kcgreen/this-is-fine-plush-dog) has raised more than \$200,000 to manufacture a plush This Is Fine toy. In the meantime, Mr. Green also continues to work on other projects: He writes and draws [“He Is a Good Boy,”](http://hiagb.com/) a webcomic about an acorn that explores themes of horror, gore and existentialism. This is fine. ## Related Content [More in Arts](https://www.nytimes.com/section/arts) - ![“Can you imagine? You, me, the commissioner of the F.C.C., all at a table together? Think of the ratings,” Jimmy Kimmel said of President Trump.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/arts/04latenight/04latenight-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) ABC - ![Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock Holmes in “Young Sherlock,” this time as a charismatic 19-year-old with a strong jaw and a sly smile.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/arts/03cul-young-sherlock/03cul-young-sherlock-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Daniel Smith/Prime - ![“Self Portrait,” by Robert Mapplethorpe (1980), one of the 16 large-scale photographs on view at the Gladstone Gallery starting on March 5.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/01/multimedia/01cul-nyc-to-do-march-mapplethorpe-qbzt/01cul-nyc-to-do-march-mapplethorpe-qbzt-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation Courtesy of the Foundation and Gladstone - ![Ella Langley](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/03/multimedia/03amplifier-flzb/03amplifier-flzb-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Seth Herald/Reuters Editors’ Picks - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/10/10/autossell/10listing-billyjoel-still/10listing-billyjoel-still-square640-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Image by Eric Striffler for The New York Times - ![Sari Botton, who edits two popular newsletters on Substack, Oldster and Memoir Land, at her home in Kingston, N.Y.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/27/multimedia/ST-OLDSTER-BOTTON-01-lkgc/ST-OLDSTER-BOTTON-01-lkgc-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Kate Warren for The New York Times Trending in The Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/08/opinion/08emba/03emba-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Janet Mac - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/multimedia/04HS-weight-loss-zgtw/04HS-weight-loss-zgtw-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Kristian Thacker for The New York Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/04/03/multimedia/03-Edsall-bphg/03-Edsall-bphg-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Damon Winter/The New York Times - ![Carolin Widmann was boarding a plane with a Guadagnini violin, made in 1782, when she was instructed to take it out of its case. ](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/24/multimedia/00xp-instruments-widmann/00xp-instruments-widmann-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Brill/ullstein bild, via Getty Images - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/realestate/04re-wyg-Louisville/04re-wyg-Louisville-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Amanda Shae Home Team Realty Group - ![The Gastown Steam Clock marking the noon hour in Vancouver, British Columbia.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/03/multimedia/03xp-bc-dst-btcp/03xp-bc-dst-btcp-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Andy Clark/Reuters - ![Health care workers transporting the bodies of Iranian sailors who were killed on the Iris Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/multimedia/00dc-torpedo-ckvm/00dc-torpedo-ckvm-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Ishara S. Kodikara/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/02/world/02wea-quake-tracker-northern-california-nytiruy5-index/02wea-quake-tracker-northern-california-nytiruy5-index-square640-v19.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) The New York Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/27/multimedia/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl/27openthread-askvanessa-hwcl-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Liam Kennedy for The New York Times - ![The new musical “Night Side Songs” features a charming ensemble, from left: Brooke Ishibashi, Robin de Jesús, Jonathan Raviv, Mary Testa and Kris Saint-Louis.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/05/multimedia/03nightside-fhwp/03nightside-fhwp-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=350) Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/arts/this-is-fine-meme-dog-fire.html#after-bottom)
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