16 Relatable Digging For Diamonds Memes About Sunk Cost Fallacy In Gaming And Life

he "Digging for Diamonds" Meme: Origins and Practical Usage

The "Digging for Diamonds" meme, also categorized as the "Never Give Up" template, is a 2011 illustration by the artist Dum. The graphic depicts two miners: one continues to dig while the other abandons his shaft, unaware he was inches away from a diamond deposit. While created as a motivational tool, it is now primarily used for ironic social commentary.

Timeline and Digital Spread

2011: Original artwork published by Dum.
2012 – 2015: Heavily circulated on motivational blogs, LinkedIn, and Facebook to promote persistence.
2016 – Present: Transitioned into a viral meme on Reddit, Twitter, and Tumblr. The community shifted its meaning from sincere motivation to a critique of the "Sunk Cost Fallacy."

Common Template Applications

Gambling and Gacha Gaming: Users apply this to mock the "just one more spin" mentality in casinos or loot-box mechanics in games like Genshin Impact. It illustrates the irony of believing success is always "one more try" away.
The "Rational Quitter" Subversion: Unlike the original intent, many modern edits portray the man walking away as a hero who escaped a toxic job, a bad relationship, or a dead-end project.
The "Anti-Climax" Interruption: waking up just before a dream ends, a system crash at 99% download, or leaving a game right before a last-second victory.