DankReading is used to express curiosity, confusion, or the act of reading something interesting, strange, or hard to understand in chat. The emote conveys a sense of trying to comprehend complex, bizarre, or conspiracy-theory-like information. It's often used when viewers are reading long messages, trying to understand confusing gameplay, or when someone shares unusual or mind-bending information. The question marks emphasize the confusion or inquisitive nature of the moment.
Origin
DankReading is a variation of the Pepe the Frog meme that emerged in the mid-2010s. This specific emote features Pepe wearing a triangular tinfoil hat (often associated with conspiracy theories) with question marks above his head, while reading a red book with a curious or confused expression. The emote became popular on Twitch and was added to various third-party emote services like BetterTTV and FrankerFaceZ. It combines the 'Dank' meme culture (referring to ironic or absurdist humor) with the concept of reading or researching, often with a conspiratorial or investigative tone. The tinfoil hat element adds a layer of irony, suggesting the reading material might be questionable or conspiracy-related.
When to use
When chat members are reading long copypastas or walls of text
During moments when streamers or viewers are trying to understand complex game mechanics or lore
When conspiracy theories or wild speculation are being discussed
In response to confusing or bizarre statements in chat
When someone shares a hot take or controversial opinion that requires careful consideration
During investigation or detective-style gameplay segments
When reading patch notes, update logs, or technical documentation on stream
