The Low Lift Ask 2025 GIFt Guide

Or: My Year In Emotions

QUICK PLUG

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Yo I just remembered something. Three years ago—to the week, in fact—I admitted to you all that I love GIFs. Specifically the Doc Rivers collection.

You all stuck with me, despite learning that piece of information. I won’t soon forget that.

Cut to 2025. GIFs are back, in a big way. The world has moved way beyond the written word and human thought. Culture evolves so fast, guys. We did it. What started as my sole enterprise—it was only me, no one else was doing GIFs—has succeeded into a revolutionary movement: we no longer have to use words to express our feelings and innermost thoughts.

Nah because I just got fucking chills. 🔥🔥🔥

In the process, though, I have matured into a more expressive human being, expanded far beyond what I thought I was capable of feeling: I have added a few more reaction GIFs to my repertoire. I used to think I was so closed off, unable to articulate the twitchy, jangly thoughts careening around my gourd. But as I’ve aged, I’ve relaxed, too; there are other GIFs outside of Doc Rivers’ callous visage that I have grown to love. Here are my GIFs (emotions) of the year:

Honorable Mentions

In the past 48 hours, AI Baby With Motion has rocketed up my usage charts. It wouldn’t be the worst bet—using any of the multiple prediction market apps available to us, of course—that AIBWM might leapfrog a few of the below contenders by the end of the year. AIBWM kind of contains, within him, multitudes: I can use him to express smug satisfaction at a joke well done, or to feign mock indignation when, say, I’m not included in a plan. He grows stronger by the day.

Similarly: the Cam Newton ‘You’re Playing Like A Bum’ Video has become an essential part of my life in the past two days. I don’t know how long it will last, much less whether it will be able to sustain this much momentum out of the gate, such that it transitions into life as a GIF—but I do knowthis: it is life-changing.

5. MJ Nonononono

An instant classic the moment it debuted. Knew it was destined for greatness, much like the subject at its center. I’ve wrung a surprising number of different use cases out of this one. It’s versatile, but it really rewards a discerning, practiced hand. Maybe get up some practice shots in the gym before breaking this out in-game.

4. Ras Trent Final Shot

The final shot of The Lonely Island’s best sketch is also one of the funniest faces Andy Samberg has made. On the surface, it exhibits disgust, disbelief, incredulity, etc. But you will find that beneath those white dreads lie robust depths of human frailty.

3. Doc Rivers ‘I Give Up’

We never stray too far from God’s light here. I used this is in all sorts of preparations. One of those pantry staples you just always have on hand. Can’t go wrong.

2. Anthony Davis Horror Movie

Maybe one of the funniest pieces of footage captured in the history of the medium. They should put this in the Eastman Museum. There’s no way to know what, exactly, AD is responding to in this moment, what horror lies in wait for him—but for the user, it could be anything. Anything could make you look over to your left in terror.

1. Shrek Rizz

Undeniable. The LLA juggernaut. The consensus #1-seed.I think this GIF has withstood all allegations of being millennial-core (it’s Shrek, after all) simply through sheer force. It willed itself to victory. There is no better way to communicate that 1) something is good and 2) you want that thing. Who needs ‘words’ when you have ‘shrek rizz’ (the thing I type into GIF keyboard to find it)?

Ritam’s Footnote