Meaning
What does Inside You There Are Two Wolves mean?
Inside you there are two wolves is a proverbial expression that has become an internet snowclone template, and also serves as the topic of various parodies.
The original proverb suggests that every person has two sides inside of them, in this case each one can be analyzed as wolves, and these 2 wolves battle each other for dominance.
The jokes surrounding the proverb often carry sarcastic connotations.
Origin
What's the origin of Inside You There Are Two Wolves?
The exact origin of the proverb is debated. There are two relevant theories about where it came from.
One theory suggests that inside you there are two wolves is a Cherokee legend, which was foretold by a grandfather and was passed on to his grandson.
The teaching suggests that one wolf is evil, the other is good, and whichever will stay alive depends on which one will be “fed” by the grandson.
The other theory claims that this teaching originates from a Christian pastor called Billy Graham.
Spread & Usage
How did Inside You There Are Two Wolves spread?
The first mock-version of inside you there are two wolves was born in 2018, under the aegis of the Facebook meme page Useless, Unsuccessful, and/or Unpopular Memes.
This version was mocking the proverb by suggesting that “one wolf is named Toby… the other is also called Toby. They’re both called Toby.”
This meme was posted in Reddit’s /r/comedyheaven thread the next day.
The format turned out to be pretty popular, and other adaptations soon followed in various boards of Reddit.
External resources
- First People – Two Wolves
- CNN – Which side of ourselves will prevail?
- Facebook – Useless, Unsuccessful, and/or Unpopular Memes
- Reddit – /r/comedyheaven