You may have encountered the term “mid” in TikTok comments, captions, or videos and thought, “What does mid imply on TikTok?” It all began with the phrase “It’s named the Midwest because everything there is MID…“
One TikTok user deemed the Midwest to be “mid,” and other users have subsequently used the sound to share their own “mid” experiences in a variety of contexts. It immediately became a fad that dominated the FYP on the app, and this term is now part of every TikTok user’s lexicon.
What does Mid mean on TikTok?
The adjective mid is used to describe something that is average. Not horrible or good, only adequate. Average. Mid. Therefore, it is an abbreviation for “mediocre.”
Now that we understand what “Mid” is and where it came from, we can discuss its utilization on the platform since it got popular. As is common among social media users, TikTok users have their own slang terminology that may be unfamiliar to some.
One of these phrases is mid, which is today used to describe something that is gaining undeserved praise, such as a poorly made video that is obtaining a large number of views. It has reached the point where users publish music, drawings, edited movies, etc., and people in the comments call them “mediocre” as if they could do a better job themselves.
This is a screenshot of a TikTok user’s video that received “abuse” for being “mediocre” and not excellent enough to receive as many views as it did.
Where Did “Mid” Originate?
While the origins of this three-letter, one-syllable insult are somewhat debatable, a variant of it has been in use since the early 2000s to refer to marijuana of average quality as “mids.”
In the past, being accused of smoking mids suggested that a person was poor or had an unsophisticated taste for marijuana. Mids are currently seen as a reasonable compromise between high-end “exotics” and low-end “schwag.”
The current recurrence of mid-pepped paragraphs may be explained by a viral (but since deleted) TikTok featuring a sped-up tirade against Cincinnati by professional wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman on YouTube:
He spits into the microphone, “It’s called the Midwest because everything there is average.” He then insults several trademarks of southwest Ohio, including Skyline Chili and the Cincinnati Reds. “MUH-MUH-MUH-MID,” Friedman urges.
Are we surprised that the most recent linguistic fad originated in a professional wrestling match? Slightly. Is that the most peculiar occurrence of the past year? See the prior remark of “balsamic vinegar” Coca-Cola being beneficial.
Anyway, the next time a member of Generation Z uses the term “mid,” you’ll know what it means and be able to nod along. Let’s just hope they’re not referring to you, your appearance, or your most recent 15-second video.
“Mid” on TikTok means unearned praise.
While there are a great number of people who hope to have their work acknowledged online, you can rest assured that there will also be a large number of people who are eager to express their opinions.
When someone wishes to upload a drawing, music remix, or edited video online, they now refer to their work as “mid” in an effort to avoid criticism for putting their best foot forward. As opposed to, you know, going for the moon and pouring their entire selves into their work.
People sell themselves the “I could accomplish it if I tried” fallacy in order to shield themselves from the criticism of those who are quick to point out any errors in their material.
“Mids” Can Refer to a Specific variety of Weed
According to Urban Dictionary, accusing a person of smoking mids is a strong insult: “The ultimate insult directed at a person who cannot obtain dank and purchases a small number of mids for the sole purpose of rolling and smoking. This slur should not be taken lightly unless the individual in question actually smokes mids blunts all day, every day.” Nonetheless, it is difficult to criticize a person who has reached this stage of life.