The term “mogging” has been making the rounds on TikTok for the past year, with videos sporting the hashtag, or iterations of it, earning billions of views. It has since earned various explainers online, cementing its existence in Gen Alpha’s internet.
But what exactly does “mogged” mean? According to internet historians, AKA the folks over at Know Your Meme, the term was first documented in 2016, but now TikTokers are slapping the slang onto group photos of celebrities or to compare two persons’ attractiveness.
Mogging refers to one person “dominating” another, whether that’s based on looks, physical build, wealth, or just “being better” than them.
For instance, if you’re flirting with someone, and a person more attractive than you swoops in, you’ve been "mogged.”
However, the person doesn’t necessarily have to do anything or interact with you for them to “mog” you. As one TikToker shared in an example, he was showing off his outfit to his viewers when his dad popped up on camera, essentially “mogging” him by wearing a better fit.
The most common “mogging” comparisons stem from TikTokers comparing celebrity photos, such as Brad Pitt “mogging” Leonardo DiCaprio, or Megan Fox “mogging” whoever she’s taking a photo with. The gist here is: Where there is a mogger, there is one who is being mogged.
As for its origin, the term was derived from AMOG: alpha male of the group, and was first used in fitness spaces, per Know Your Meme. Its trajectory from 4Chan led to “mogged” being used within the “looksmaxxing” community—where you try to better your appearance to increase sexual appeal to women.
The looksmaxxing trend among incels (involuntary celibates) has been controversial for many reasons, as the Daily Dot has covered. Men have gone so far as to break bones in their face or body to increase their attractiveness after being tired of getting “mogged” by their hotter peers.
“Mogged” seems to have kicked off on TikTok in 2021, when user @eddyshreds posted a video comparing himself to a smaller man, ironically being “mogged.” However, searches for the slang spiked earlier this year from January to February.
Apart from plain ol’ mogging, there also appear to be different types.
For instance, you can be height-mogged (someone is taller than you,) jaw-mogged (someone has a sharper jaw-line,) fashion-mogged, (they have a better fit), etc. You get the idea. And while the origin may have allegedly stemmed from a darker side of the internet, today “mogging” is just a nice way for Gen Alpha to let you know 'hey, you’re not the hottest one here.'
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