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An Anatomy of ‘The Dude’

X says ‘The Dude’ is a whole new type of person. But ‘The Dude’ has been around for generations.

By Adam Christopher Smith

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Welcome to LOST WEEKEND, VICE’s Monday briefing.

What is it with men and crying?

A couple of weeks ago, the term “crymaxxing” came bubbling up out of the infinite well of creativity that is the digital subconscious. You’ve probably seen influencer Dillon Latham explain how he uses his own tears as a hair product (basically your own private salt-spray reservoir, limited only by your capacity for overt displays of emotion). My favorite micro-take was that the lachrymose looksmaxxer was “recreating emo from first principles.” 

pic.twitter.com/MuaUHUB018— Braindead Bird App (@tragicbirdapp) May 8, 2026

pic.twitter.com/MuaUHUB018

Weeping on demand isn’t all that easy—just ask The Dude. This new type of person was defined over the weekend in an X post from @tragicbirdapp that received just shy of 2 million views. Unsurprisingly, this introverted, socially-awkward figure proved hyper resonant for people who spend way too long on their phones. As one reply put it: “Every time I open this GOD FORSAKEN app, I’m always one-shotted by one of these ultra-specific memes that hits a little too close to home.”

“Idk if any other dudes can relate, but I physically cannot cry”

“Idk if any other dudes can relate, but I physically cannot cry”

The Dude is an ironicized update of the 25-Year-Old Loner character from a few years ago. For doomer types, this Wojak represents the consequences of “our collapsing, individualized society.” That these traits seem more common than ever could be taken as evidence that they’re right, but I think he speaks to a........

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