The facepalm. A classic motion that immediately conveys the inner feeling of the palmer. Almost always, those are shame and exasperation. Usually, it’s impulsive. One of those go-to motions when you hear about the egregiously stupid act someone has committed or a particularly shameful news story.
It’s a classic; deified by one of the internet’s oldest and most popular Advice Animal memes: Jean-Luc Picard’s famous facepalm. It’s one of those images that strikes an immediate, visceral reaction from the viewer. We know exactly what it’s meant to convey.
So what makes a facepalmable moment funny? Surely, we can’t always laugh at one individual’s shameful act? Well, it’s not quite laughing at the event. It’s laughing at the degree of shame included in the person’s actions or the news story. These moments give us a bit of entertainment, but also insight into the morality of what surrounds us. But that’s enough pseudo-intellectualism! Here’s a collection of facepalm moments: