What does bean soup theory mean on TikTok?
06/10/25 4:56pm
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The “bean soup theory” on TikTok is another name for the “what about me?” effect. The term originated when a TikTok user posted a recipe for a high-iron bean soup to fight anemia. Several users then commented things like, “What if I don’t like beans?” and “What can I use instead of beans?” on the video, seemingly oblivious to the fact that beans were the main ingredient, so the soup couldn’t be made without them.
As the video and debate went viral, people began to point out that users on social media often act this way. They see a post that they don’t relate to, and instead of accepting that the content wasn’t made for them, they start shifting the focus toward themselves and asking “What about me?” This frustrating phenomenon is now often referred to as the “bean soup theory.”
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As the video and debate went viral, people began to point out that users on social media often act this way. They see a post that they don’t relate to, and instead of accepting that the content wasn’t made for them, they start shifting the focus toward themselves and asking “What about me?” This frustrating phenomenon is now often referred to as the “bean soup theory.”
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