About

Nothing Ever Happens is a catchphrase and mantra commonly said on 4chan’s board /pol/ to signify that no major global events of significant magnitude have perceivably happened in past decades, nor will they happen in the future. The mantra is the direct opposite of It's Happening memes and has often been used in response to anticipated global changes not happening.

Origin

The phrase “nothing ever happens” has been used on 4chan’s /pol/ board since at least as early as July 2014. For example, on July 26th, 2014, an anonymous /pol/[1] user wrote “Nothing ever happens in this shit, I can't take it anymore, please god make something happen this world is boring as fuck" (post shown below, left). On April 4th, 2015, another user wrote[2] "you guys are right nothing ever happens" in a post in which they complained about Russia not blowing up a volcano (shown below, right).

13KiB, 265x302, 1339361236002.jpg View Same Google iqdb SauceNAO Trace ↓ Anonymous Sat 26 Jul 2014 08:17:41 No.33000757 View Reply Original Report Quoted By: >>33000778 >>33000894 >>33001098 >>33002798 [20 / 5] NOTHING EVER HAPPENS IN THIS S---, I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE PLEASE GOD MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN THIS WORLD IS BORING AS F---View Same KEEP CALM AND IMAGINE THINGS THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN G 9KiB, 194x259, it will never happen.jpg Google iqdb SauceNAO Trace ↓ [10 / 1] f--- happenings Anonymous ID: mqd412CI Sat 04 Apr 2015 22:30:01 No.43401083 View Reply Original Report Quoted By: >>43401458 Well guys im not happy i thought Russia would blow up the volcano today but no, you guys are right nothing ever happens. So im ready to live another day. Will ever happen pol will it. unless some how some how a happening, magically happens somebody will change my mind.

Spread

In the following years, the phrase achieved prominence as a catchphrase, being used as a response to both an apparent lack of major historical events in the past decades and any expected events not taking place, serving as the polar opposite of It's Happening posts. On September 8th, 2017, an anonymous /pol/[3] user posted a reaction image reading "Daily reminder: nothing ever happens" (shown below, left). On April 22nd, 2021, an anonymous user[4] made a post titled "Every single happening has been CANCELLED," listing major events such as Jeffrey Epstein's death, the COVID-19 Pandemic and the 2020 George Floyd Protests that did not result in any significant changes.

_resources/Untitled/1c08d7abb4daf42d8c2f486145f85b84_MD5.png7KiB, 229x220, E03C067A-4CF5-44BA-9116- DE7E8F8603A3.jpg View Same Google iqdb SauceNAO Trace Every single happening [8/3/5] has been CANCELLED Anonymous ID:X/EkWmBv Thu 22 Apr 2021 22:08:59 No.318236133 View Reply Original Report Quoted By: >>318236510 >>318236721 Life is so boring. 2019:epstein offed himself, tons of global conspiracy from that 2020: we had riots, civil war potential, lockdowns, ced masks, TP shortage, preppers, election fraud, executive order 230 repeal threat. This year:stolen election, more riots(fizzled after chauvin guilty and the recent police shooting blacks has done nothing to resurrect the fire), Ukraine about to get attacked by Russia, China about to invade Taiwan. All cancelled. Nothing ever happens. How do you anons cope? I got lots of popcorn seeds in my kitchen. Figured they would be useful soon. Now I feel like they will never ever be popped. What do anons?

The catchphrase inspired reaction images and other content as it continued to spread online. For example, on March 2nd, 2022, an anonymous user posted a Chudjak GIF that saw further spread on the /pol/[5] board and beyond in the following year (shown below).

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In addition to 4chan, the catchphrase also saw spread on Twitter. For example, on March 29th, 2023, Twitter[6] user @IWillNameThem posted a The Breakfast Question meme using the phrase (shown below, left). On June 24th, 2023, following the unsuccessful rebellion attempt by the Wagner Group, Twitter[7]user @AltHistCody made a tweet using the phrase that received over 230 retweets and 6,200 likes in two weeks (shown below, right).

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