Have you ever fallen into the TikTok rabbit hole? If so, you’ve probably encountered that ridiculous Simp Nation theme song. But wait, what’s a simp? Are you a simp? You don’t have to be a genius to understand the meaning of simps, but you’ll definitely get confused if you dig deeper into it with no prior warning. Let’s welcome you to the world of simps and show you what this phenomenon is really about!

What Is a Simp?

Most people agree that the word “simp” is an acronym for “Sucker Idolizing Mediocre Pussy.” Some believe that the term is a combination of a sissy and a pimp. Others define it as internet slang that derives from the word “simpleton.” Either way, its true meaning is not as exciting as you may think.

At first, calling someone a simp used to be an insult. In 2021, the term has received a new meaning due to social media and TikTok. Obviously, we’ve all grown accustomed to introducing new viral phrases from the online world into everyday language. 

Check this article from nytimes about the history of Simp.

Today, “simp” is used exclusively for straight men willing to cover great lengths to win over a woman or please her. This could seem romantic at first glance until you realize that most teens today use the term “simping” to describe groveling, sucking up, or begging. If you remember the “Nice Guy” culture, a simp is simply Gen Z’s interpretation of it. And we guess that you already know tons of guys who act this way. 

Simps focus their energy on controlling behavior instead of genuinely knowing how to attract women. They exploit their “niceness” to get with women. Then, they lure their victims with false promises and give them a fake sense of security. They use their “good guy” image to gain leverage over girls and use it for their benefit later on. 

How to Identify a Simp? 

Simps are cunning, and they make it difficult for you to differentiate between them and the genuinely good guys. Fortunately, we’ve found some TikTok simp identifiers posted by NochillTy:

  1. Simps always do “nice” things for women who don’t like them.
  2. Simps always try to impress females.
  3. They seemingly put women before themselves. 
  4. Simps will do anything to defend a woman, even if it’s just for a lazy cat emoji. 
  5. A simp hates the slander of any female.
  6. Their game is literally non-existent. Simps only come on to females by impressing them and trying to do literally everything for them. 
  7. They allow women to walk all over them. 
  8. Simps constantly get rejected. 
  9. “Damn girl… Where my hug at??”

Obviously, those aren’t the only rules. Still, one rule is pretty much universal: girls never want simps, and they constantly get curved. If this sounds way too immature, it probably is. The term emerged in TikTok’s teenage circles, after all. You’ll see countless Simp Nation memes on TikTok as well as tons of young women talking about this subject. 

What Does Simp Mean in Pop Culture? 

Like we’ve said, simps are the zoomer equivalents of the Nice Guy pop culture from the 2000s. Also, there’s nothing wrong with the concept of a thoughtful and compassionate man! Simps can sometimes seem like the backbone of a cheesy romantic comedy. In reality, the trend is actually quite alarming. It doesn’t matter what your favorite romantic comedy or your grandma says: needy, pampering, and persistent men are never good. Simps fail from the get-go because being “nice” and relentlessly pursuing women will rarely win them over. 

So why can’t we learn from our mistakes? Why are we seeing a pretty much identical copy of the Nice Guy culture in 2021? 

According to most TikTok users, simps are usually desperate, attention-driven men who actually use their masculinity in a toxic manner. They show too much emotion and use puppy dog eyes to make girls believe that they’re a white knight in shining armor. Yet, it seems that this term got lost in translation. Currently, tweens and teens use it to describe nice guys, nice-but-creepy guys, bullies, men who actually care, etc. 

For example, Sean Davis, a therapist from Sacramento, believes that simps are breaking gender roles and that they’re actually empowering women. Right now, it’s hard to draw the line between nice men who actually care about women and creepy simps who want to exploit their niceness for their own gains. As Urban Dictionary puts it, simp is an overused word that has no clear meaning.

Are Simps and Incels the Same? 

Incels or involuntarily celibate men share some similarities with simps. However, they are an entirely different culture from simps. The term “incel” is often used to describe men who act in a misogynistic fashion without realizing it. 

Typically, they believe that they always deserve sex in return for being nice. Incels think that being friendly and polite will automatically get them laid. Obviously, this is just wrong. Simps and incels act in different ways, although they both have similar ulterior motives.

What’s the Point? 

Ultimately, we’re not here to call out simps or shame them. This whole Nice Guy, simps, and incels debate should actually be about personal growth. If you notice that you are doing too many nice things to someone to score major boyfriend points, you should step back and reconsider the origins of your niceness!