Combines "pyramid" as in pyramid sales, and guilting, to provide a collective descriptor for all those items of social media content that seek to get themselves viral by exploiting human decency and empathy.
Individually they are generally good and moral, but as a collective phenomenon, they are experienced as moral blackmail and only cause empathy fatigue and insidious alienation from the causes they seek to promote.
Individually they are generally good and moral, but as a collective phenomenon, they are experienced as moral blackmail and only cause empathy fatigue and insidious alienation from the causes they seek to promote.
That pyramid-guilt post was trying to suggest I wasn't loyal to my friends unless I liked, shared and copy-paste posted it to everyone.
Pyramid guilting is usually bad and wrong and 'poor me' attention-seeking but, just sometimes, it really is done for a sufficiently good cause.
Pyramid guilting is usually bad and wrong and 'poor me' attention-seeking but, just sometimes, it really is done for a sufficiently good cause.
by Osric_of_O October 2, 2017

The guilt you feel when you have not visited your grandparents in a while. Intensified by the fact that when they inevitability die of old age, you don't want to feel like you didn't see them enough while they where alive.
Mum: "When was the last time you saw your grandparents, they won't be around forever you know"
You: "Stop giving me grandparent guilt, I will go see them soon."
You: "Stop giving me grandparent guilt, I will go see them soon."
by cofftea August 23, 2017

When nature runs it's course even in places you shouldn't be or shameful situations you shouldn't be in.
My buddy got chewed out by his wife before going to Cheetah's with us and ended up with a guilt boner all night long.
by Haolepino November 18, 2022

What you feel when you watch a documentary about climate change and remember all the crap you just ordered online.
"Wow, this episode of Patriot Act is really disturbing. I had no idea fast fashion was creating so much waste. Hey, are you okay? You look like you're going to throw up."
"Yeah... just thinking about the 10 shirts I don't need that'll be arriving on my doorstep tomorrow and having some serious retail guilt. I'm an asshole."
"Yeah... just thinking about the 10 shirts I don't need that'll be arriving on my doorstep tomorrow and having some serious retail guilt. I'm an asshole."
by Little Walnut December 3, 2019

When you are in a public bathroom and you have no intention of washing your hands after using the bathroom, until a random stranger comes in, at which point you wash your hands out of fear that the person will think you are a dirtball.
Ty was finished peeing, and a man walked into the restroom. He wasn't going to wash his hands, but since the other man was there, he walked to the sink for a guilt wash.
by Archimedes13 September 10, 2011

The feeling when you've doggedly pursued a healthy lifestyle (for 1 day-forever) and then your work pals invite you for an afterwork drink... and you realise one pint will ruin everything.
Internal monologue: I really want to go out and have fun but I'm already feeling pub guilt - an internal dreading of huge amounts of calories and naughty additives that will ruin my attempts at being healthy.
I'll just go home - can't face the pub guilt.
I can't come out - I'm going to the gym. Best to avoid the pub guilt.
I'll just go home - can't face the pub guilt.
I can't come out - I'm going to the gym. Best to avoid the pub guilt.
by @loraleopard May 30, 2016

Similar in concept to white guilt, tech guilt is a growing feeling among tech workers who are buying or renting homes and apartments made available by the eviction of socioeconomic minorities or the gentrification of "transitional neighborhoods" in major tech hubs like Silicon Valley.
Brad: Can you believe my studio apartment in the mission was Section 8 housing one year ago?! My rent is $4000/month! Oh well, I can afford it.
Jill: I hope you're feeling some tech guilt right now.
Jill: I hope you're feeling some tech guilt right now.
by Urbanartshare September 8, 2016
