Did you really think the high five just magically appeared out of thin air, bestie? Think again! This iconic gesture that literally EVERYONE does has a juicy, disputed origin story that’s absolutely sending us.
For decades, we’ve been slapping hands at baseball games, celebrations, and awkward work meetings without a single clue about where this blessed movement came from. But honey, it turns out there’s actually a TRACEABLE history—and the tea is PIPING HOT. Multiple people are claiming they invented the high five, and let’s just say it’s messier than a reality TV reunion special.
The high five feels eternal, like it’s always existed alongside gravity and champagne. WRONG! This fabulous gesture is actually relatively new in the grand scheme of human history, and apparently, several people want the credit. We’re talking full-on who-did-it drama that would make a Netflix documentary jealous. Without spoiling all the contested claims, let’s just say the vibes are absolutely chaotic in the high-five attribution space.
What really gets us is how NOBODY questioned this before! We’ve been casually high-fiving our way through life like it was always meant to be, when really, somewhere out there, someone (or SOMEONES, plural) are probably still arguing about who deserves the crown. The entitlement? We’re living for it.
Honestly, this whole situation is giving major celebrity beef energy. You know how A-list stars are always fighting over who invented a dance move or a catchphrase? Well, the high five invented-by drama is literally the same energy but make it historical. We need the court documents, the receipts, the EVERYTHING.
The fact that this gesture is so universal—literally EVERYONE from toddlers to grandparents participates—makes the origin story even more chaotic. It’s like if someone invented the most successful product ever and then couldn’t prove it was them. The missed opportunities for merchandising! The lost legacy deals! It’s absolutely sending us.
At the end of the day, we’re just grateful we get to high-five our way through life, regardless of who started it. But that doesn’t mean we’re not DYING to know the full, unredacted story. Give us the documentary, Hollywood!
What do you think? A) One person definitely invented the high five and deserves full credit B) Multiple people invented it independently because great minds think alike