The NPC (; also known as the NPC Wojak), derived from non-player character, is an Internet meme that represents people deemed to not think for themselves. It may refer to those who lack introspection or intrapersonal communication, or whose identity is deemed entirely determined by their surroundings and the information they consume, with no conscious processing or discernment being done by the person themselves. The meme gained further viral status on TikTok in 2022, with the surge of "NPC Streamers". The NPC meme, which graphically is based on the Wojak meme, was created in July 2016 by an anonymous author and first published on the imageboard 4chan, where the idea and inspiration behind the meme were introduced.
In terms of politics, it has often been used by those with anti-establishment views to describe those who fail to question authority, "groupthink", or a stance that would display conformity and obedience.
The NPC meme gained widespread attention during the first presidency of Donald Trump. In October 2018 the meme was covered by numerous news outlets, including The Verge, the BBC, and The New York Times, who called it a popular insult among "the pro-Trump internet" as well as a "collective mascot for the far-right commenters". The following month, InfoWars held a competition promoting the creation of NPC memes; the winning entry was endorsed by Trump on Twitter.
