Meli, Emelya: bananas have become the most popular meme on the Web
In the ranking of Internet memes, the concept of "airman" has recently been leading — a person who throws words to the wind. In terms of popularity, this term has already overtaken the expression "six-seven". The buzzword is relevant for all strata of society and age groups. Izvestia found out the origin of the meme and learned how not to fall under the influence and charm of fans.
From MMA to school
Air is a typical example of jargon, a niche word. It came into our vocabulary from pop MMA and became popular because of its versatility and capacity, Vladislav Obushinsky, a public representative of the Pressindex analytical agency, explained to Izvestia. Initially, this term referred to a person who publicly challenges an opponent, promises a fight and threatens, but then does not sign a contract or does not come out to fight. Later, the meaning expanded: now an airman is any person who talks a lot, creates noise, but does not confirm words with actions.
— Airman is not yet an argo like a thug's fen, but he is pretty close to it. Such words and expressions often find their way into wide usage due to their vivid emotional coloring and the new semantic nuances they reveal," the source said.
He cited the possible increase in the number of people who deliberately deceive others as the reason for the popularity of the word. This category also includes various "sellers of success" who significantly exaggerate the promised effect.
According to the Pressindex analytical agency, from January 2025 to July 2026, the word "air" and its derivatives appeared in 925,000 messages on social networks. The first major peak occurred in December 2025, with about 100,000 mentions. In the spring of 2026, a new wave began: from about 25 thousand messages in April, the figure rose to 77 thousand in May and 85 thousand in July.
"Having emerged from the subculture of pop—MMA and fighting content, air is firmly entrenched in school and Zumer slang and has become a universal designation for a person whose words are at odds with his deeds," Obushinsky pointed out.
In the fighting environment, the word "air" was used even before last year, but a noticeable increase in usage began in January 2025 after his appearance in a major UFC interview with MMA fighter Shari Bullet, noted in "Pressindex".
The agency's experts noted that about 60% of the authors of posts with the word "air" are users between 25 and 55 years old, and 27.2% are accounts with the specified age of 55 and above. These data allow us to conclude that the word "air" is not a youth word. It is even more common among older people. But experts advise to be careful about age data, since users often do not indicate the actual year of birth.
The main context of use is ads about goods, services, vacancies and part—time jobs: they account for 56.5% of messages. Here, the word has become part of a viral template: "airmen by," "airmen don't write." Only 3.8% of mentions relate to romantic relationships, according to a study provided specifically for Izvestia.
Cheap Dopamine
Such an interesting archetype as air has existed at all times — it's just that these people used to be called windbags, babblers and talkers, said Anna Guseva, a practicing psychologist.
— Such a person likes to embellish reality, does not fulfill promises, figuratively speaking, drives the air. It's no coincidence that a meme is blowing up the Internet, leading the statistics of mentions. We've been dealing with this archetype for a long time, it's just that it finally got its exact name," she pointed out.
The interlocutor of the editorial board explained that it is typical for a fan to talk about what is not there. For example, that he has bought an apartment or is going to get married. However, the case ends with simple words and vivid self-presentation. In fact, such a person is harmless: he fantasizes about his well-being, and when he promises others mountains of gold, he tells them what they themselves would like to hear from him.
— Addicts are sanguine by temperament, infect others with their interest in life, and even lead people. They deal with stress very quickly. When they become uninterested in something, they quickly go out and switch sides," the expert said.
She also stressed that addicts are characterized by a certain lightness — there are no abusers or narcissists among them.
— Psychologists, whose opinion I share, say that the behavior of addicts is the pursuit of cheap dopamine, — the psychologist added. — When a person publicly makes loud promises, posts videos of his projects online, he receives some kind of social approval. And he gets a feeling of success in advance: 15 seconds of stories, and after that millions of views, likes, comments.
The feeling of self—importance, according to Anna Guseva, activates a protective mechanism - then you can do nothing, confirm nothing. It's easy enough to create a new story later or tell someone an exciting story. In short, get a quick dopamine, and then come up with something new.
Unreliable in love
As for his personal life, Ruslan knows how to take care of himself beautifully and easily creates the illusion of a romantic relationship, Anna Guseva warned. According to her, communicating with such a person is the happiest time for someone in front of whom he is shaking the air. Beautiful gestures and romance are not supported by actions in any way, but sometimes partners do not need this — they are satisfied with the illusion.
— Christians can be both men and women. Such people speak beautifully and promise a lot, but they don't keep their word. But their partners always want to return to this beautiful romance. However, if the relationship drags on, then visual and auditory noise without actions and continuation gradually turns into reality and acts destructively," the psychologist emphasized.
This happens because a mentally healthy person begins to make plans for the future some time after the start of communication, but it is impossible to plan anything with an addict, she explained.
— And a person falls first into expectation, then into resentment, and then into dependence on beautiful romance and feels deceived. And the airman continues to live easily and without obligations. He reasons like this: "I'm being oppressed, but I'm free and I don't want to be restricted." He feels light, and is, again, in a state of cheap dopamine," the editorial interlocutor continued.
Romantics do not stay in a relationship for a long time, preferring romantic meetings to living together. Responsibility and obligations are not for them.
— Such people can have several partners. And the most interesting thing is that most of the time addicts lack jealousy towards others, because, from their point of view, people do not belong to each other. But their partners don't like this position, because everyone needs certainty," said Anna Guseva.
At the same time, in her opinion, being an airman is not so easy. Dopamine extraction is easy, but it has to be constantly repeated and confirmed, and this becomes much more difficult over the years.
Toxins at work
In the business sphere, methane is not so harmless, but in business it is definitely toxic, said Anna Guseva. This person creates the illusion of intense activity and deftly shifts responsibility to other colleagues.
— If a speaker, coach, speaker or presenter is named, then he can really activate people, in a sense, lead them. But only if something important doesn't depend on it. In areas of activity where specifics and results are important, fog consumes the team's resources — time, nerves, and budget. An emptiness is created: there are a lot of movements, words, but there is zero reality," the psychologist noted.
It is easy to recognize a shaman — there is constant chaos around this person, the expert added. And very often, weak personalities and less powerful professionals hang around him.
— The head of the air force hires performers who do not ask uncomfortable questions, — said the interlocutor of the editorial office. — They speak beautifully, but vaguely, and they don't go anywhere beyond philosophy. It is very common to appropriate other people's successes. These are the main markers that we pay attention to.
According to Anna Guseva, it is not by chance that the term "air" has become more active right now, this has been facilitated by a generational change.
— Millennials and zoomers value directness and common sense. They won't be silent. They need specifics, not empty words. Society no longer holds back emotions, it is not afraid to call a spade a spade — it is so airy," the specialist explained. — Nowadays, everything can be clearly recorded in order to be confronted with the fact later.
Public disclosure of any processes helps to resist such people. The psychologist recommended not wasting time and energy on arguments and struggle, but simply documenting the facts.
— The most powerful medicine against any drug, its toxicity and parasitism is the opportunity to compare what is said and what is done, — said Anna Guseva.
But it is important to distinguish creative lightness from the emptiness of airiness, she stressed. Sometimes inventors and idea generators are confused with the carefree airman. At first, their bold plans seem like a fantasy. But these people, unlike dummies, have inner depth and psychological maturity.
— The world is moved forward by those who easily generate ideas, rather than throwing words to the wind. This direct difference needs to be understood. Creative, sociable people, because of their love of words and bold ideas, really look like addicts. But they turn their words into deeds and generate ideas that lead to the future," the psychologist concluded.
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