There’s a really weird sheriff meme taking over Twitter and it’s glorious

There’s no explaining this one, it’s just darn tootin’ good fun.

Memes undoubtedly make the internet a more entertaining place, even when you can offer no explanation as to why they exist.

The sheriff meme is one such case. You don’t need to know its origins to recognise that this is at the vanguard of the modern meme movement.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ???????????　 ?? ?? 　 ? ?　 ? ?　 ? ?howdy im the sheriff of cold ones. Crack open a cold one with the boys
— Marleau Acquirer (@50_MissionCap) July 8, 2017

The first instance of the sheriff meme, according to knowyourmeme, was by @brandonwardell and is far too unsafe for work to replicate here.

But Brandon spawned a movement and its quickly taking over to become one of the greatest memes of 2017.

The concept is simple: Fling together a bunch of emojis – the first few all used the 100 emoji – start your tweet with howdy, and tell the world which laws your sheriff plans on laying down.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ??????　??　?? ?? ???? ?? ?? 　 ??　??　 ??　 ??　 ? ?
howdy. im the sheriff of respecting women.respect women
— ✨bea✨ (@moItencore) July 9, 2017

Like the one above, the sheriff community are often fighting for noble causes.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ??? ? ?　? ? ?? ? 　 ?　?　 ?　 ?　 ? ?
howdy. i'm the bee sheriff. we saving these mf bees
— lil egg (@eggsbruh) July 9, 2017

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀?　 ?️?️?️　?　?　???　?️?️　?? 　 ?️　 ?️　 ?️　　?️　　?　　? howdy. im the sheriff of blood. aged 16+? please donate to the red cross
— sargon of ACAB ? (@DOGGEAUX) July 7, 2017

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ??? ? ? ? ?? ?? ?? 　 ?　?　 ?　 ?　 ? ? howdy. i'm the sheriff of nature.stop polluting the fucking earth
— yeehaw (@ALIENDIC) July 10, 2017

They just want you to stay healthy and hydrated. They’re here for you.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ???　?　? ? ??? ? ?? 　 ?　?　 ?　 ?　 ? ?
howdy. im the sheriff of hydration.stay hydrated.
— YUNG TUNGSTEN (@galaxiaskykloz) July 8, 2017

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀?　 ???　?　?　???　??　?? 　 ?　 ?　 ?　 ?　 ? ?
howdy. im the sheriff of nutrition.eat your fucking greens
— charlotte (@chacketttt) July 7, 2017

Although sometimes they might not nail the tone.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ?　 ? ? ? ?　?　? ? ? ? ? 　 ?　? 　 ?　 ? 　 ? ?
howdy. i'm the climate change sheriff. you're all going to die
— Lana Del Raytheon (@LanaDelRaytheon) July 10, 2017

This sheriff is one of the most popular sheriffs, and for obvious reasons.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀?　 ???　?　?　???　??　?? 　 ?　 ?　 ?　 ?　　?　 ? howdy. im the sheriff of train emojis. whys there so many train emojis.
— sargon of ACAB ? (@DOGGEAUX) July 7, 2017

But even those who don’t know where they are in life, who are just going through the motions, have been shown love.

⠀ ⠀ ? ❓❓❓ ❓ ❓ ❓? ❓❓ ? ❓❓ ❓ ❓　 ? ?
howdy. I'm the sheriff of existential crises. I'm not sure why I'm here
— tony (@sadvil) July 10, 2017

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 　 ?　　　　　??️☄️　　　　? 　?　?　　　??　 6️⃣9️⃣　??　　　　　?　?　　　　　 ?　　?
howdy. im the sheriff of really struggling with this meme
— ice-9 ? (@bradisterrific) July 10, 2017

There’s even an Ikea sheriff!!!

??????????????????
i'm the ikea sheriff, please take my flat pack home and assemble me at your leisure
— summer of gabagool (@jimpjorps) July 9, 2017

As people got carried away things became a bit more meta.

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀?　 ???　?　?　???　??　?? 　 ?　 ?　 ?　 ?　 ? ? howdy. i'm the sheriff of sheriffs. look yall mighty upon my pasture and despair
— killian (@ammodendri) July 8, 2017