For many young people in their late teens and early twenties, the events of September 11, 2001, are more history than personal memory. Most were not even born yet when the attacks occurred, and many first learned about them through memes, TV shows, or social media rather than in school. This generational distance may explain why the tragedy, which shaped the early years of the 21st century, has become part of internet humor—sometimes dark or irreverent. Naz, a 23-year-old, recalls first learning about 9/11 through the animated sitcom Family Guy, which often references the attacks. The show’s creator, Seth MacFarlane, once narrowly avoided being on the hijacked American Airlines Flight 11. Similarly, comedian Pete Davidson, whose father was a firefighter who died in the attacks, has made 9/11 jokes during his stand-up performances. For some young people, these references are their first exposure to the event. For many members of Generation Z, 9/11 was first encountered as a meme on social media. A 25-year-old American who posted on Reddit described how repeated exposure to the event in school—through annual viewings of footage and dramatic classroom discussions—made the tragedy feel less solemn over time. He said the older generation’s emphasis on seriousness sometimes led to the opposite reaction: humor. "After several years of the same routine, it becomes kinda funny," he wrote. Alfie, 21, says this kind of exposure is common for his generation. "My first introduction to 9/11 was as a meme on social media," he told Metro. He notes that many Gen Z users make jokes about tragic events, often through anonymous accounts on social media. Dark humor, particularly online, is not new. Shortly after the attacks, users on forums like SomethingAwful shared jokes, showing that such reactions have existed for years. Public attitudes toward 9/11 humor have evolved over time. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried faced backlash for joking about the attacks shortly after they occurred, but today, references by comedians like Pete Davidson and writers like Seth MacFarlane are less likely to provoke outrage. For Naz and Alfie, learning more about the event through documentaries has deepened their understanding of its impact. While they acknowledge the dark humor of the internet, they also recognize the tragedy. "It’s not rare for someone my age to make a joke about it, but I do find it quite crude now," Naz says. Alfie agrees: "Seeing the impact on so many families makes me emotional, but the internet has a dark sense of humor. In the age of social media, anything is fair game."