# Who originated the popular "because... (one word)" meme in web and article writing commentary? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263 "2013-10-15T00:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/1 "2013-10-15T00:24:27Z")
In a lot of web commentary these days there is the fashion to pose a question or situation and then answer it with one word prefaced by “because” as the entire answer. Here is one example I bolded. \*\*Question: Why do women get madder and madder as they ponder something irritating and stupid even when there’s no point? **Because shoes**. No really, so, according to Redbook, men are terrified to talk to women, but it’s not their fault: Ladies be confusin’ \*\* Where did this particular writing artifact start? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/2 "2013-10-15T00:45:13Z")
I first heard it in the context of “because racecar.” > **[BECAUSE RACE CAR](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/because-race-car)** > > Because racecar is a memetic phrase in which questions about cars are answered simply “because racecar”. For example, if one asked “Why doesn’t that car have any trunk space?” then the other would reply “Because race car.” ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/3 "2013-10-16T21:23:43Z")
Thanks for cite! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/4 "2013-10-16T22:38:27Z")
I’m pretty sure that parents centuries ago orginated that one word response to their toddler’s incessant question of “Why?”. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/5 "2013-10-17T07:18:59Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I’m pretty sure that parents centuries ago orginated that one word response to their toddler’s incessant question of “Why?”. I think you misunderstood; it’s not about the one-word response “Because.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/6 "2013-10-17T11:36:29Z")
I recall (very vaguely) some movie where Will Smith makes one of those comments in response to either somebody else’s line or to some situation he observed, and it must have gone something like: > [@](#): > > Lady, you need to find some better makeup to use, because, “Damn!” One of the MIB movies? Something else? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/7 "2013-10-17T12:32:32Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I recall (very vaguely) some movie where Will Smith makes one of those comments in response to either somebody else’s line or to some situation he observed, and it must have gone something like: > > One of the MIB movies? Something else? I’m pretty sure that was the first Men In Black. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/8 "2013-10-17T12:57:31Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I first heard it in the context of “because racecar.” Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-originated-the-popular-because-one-word-meme-in-web-and-article-writing-commentary/671263/9 "2013-10-17T13:44:50Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I’m pretty sure that was the first Men In Black. That was my best guess, but I can’t locate any proof online so far. It’s odd how that one line has stuck with me because “Wow!” 😃