What does ‘the lamp looks weird’ mean on TikTok? Viral trend confuses users

On TikTok, numerous people have been sharing videos with the phrase “the lamp looks weird,” leaving many people baffled.

Throughout December, the term “the lamp looks weird” has been going viral on TikTok, amassing millions of views as users are curious about its meaning and origins.

Often used to describe periods of time or experiences that feel surreal, the phrase has become shorthand for moments when reality seems off or dreamlike.

‘The lamp looks weird’ origins

The origin of this phrase can be traced to a decade-old Reddit comment, where a user shared a story about being assaulted by a football player, resulting in them being knocked unconscious.

While unconscious, they described living an entirely different life, with a romantic partner and two kids. This alternate reality unraveled when they noticed a lamp in their living room that didn’t look right.

“It was still in 3D but… just… wrong,” the user explained, describing the red square base with gold trim and a white square shade. They became obsessed with the lamp, staring at it for days, unable to shake the feeling that something was off. 

Eventually, they had an epiphany: the lamp wasn’t real, nor was the house, the family, or the life they had been living. The entire alternate reality dissolved, and they realized they were still unconscious.

This story has since spread across social media, resonating with people who related to its theme of reality feeling tenuous or dreamlike. Over time, “the lamp looks weird” evolved into a phrase used to describe moments in real life that seem too strange, good, or unsettling to be true.

While few people experience such an extreme dissociation as described in the original Reddit post, many have felt moments of confusion, where reality doesn’t quite feel real.

TikTok users have embraced the phrase to describe these instances, whether it’s a surreal memory, a stroke of incredible luck, or a dreamlike period in their lives.

Other viral trends that have racked up millions of views on TikTok include the Hopeless Core fad and the infamous ‘Superman’ dance.