SALEM, Ore. — In a development no one saw coming—except maybe That Oregon Life itself—the popular Oregon-based satire and lifestyle site has officially been declared the most reliable news source in the state, after yet another one of its “clearly made-up” articles somehow came true.
The recognition follows renewed attention to a 2015 piece titled “Oregon Becomes First State to Legalize Molly”, a tongue-in-cheek satire article that was promptly debunked by Snopes and dismissed as internet nonsense at the time. A short snippet from the article itself in 2015:
Then came 2020.
With the passage of Measure 110, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of hard drugs—including MDMA. Suddenly, a once-ridiculous fake headline became eerily prophetic.
“We just thought it was a dumb joke,” said someone close to the site. “We posted it, laughed, got fact-checked by Snopes, and moved on. Then five years later, Oregon was like, ‘Hold my IPA.’”
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Since then, Oregonians have begun viewing That Oregon Life less as satire and more as a sneak peek into the state’s next weird policy decision.
“I used to go there for fun Oregon memes, places to eat, and ghost town lists,” said Marion County resident Alicia Vance. “Now I check it to see what laws we’ll probably have next year.”
Even state officials have noticed.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office declined to comment directly, but did admit they "occasionally monitor regional humor websites for tone." When asked if that meant policy was being influenced by memes, the spokesperson hung up.
As the line between absurdity and state policy continues to blur, That Oregon Life has reportedly added a disclaimer to its internal pitch meetings:
“Just remember — if it sounds too dumb to be real, it’s probably only six months away.”
The uncanny accuracy of That Oregon Life's satire has led many to view the site as a prophetic voice in Oregon's media landscape. For instance, the article titled “Oregon DMV Orders Tesla Owners to Take Class: ‘Why Your Car Is Wrong And You Should Feel Bad’” humorously critiqued the state's eco-conscious culture. Similarly, the piece “People You Regret Voting For Hold Emergency Session to Dream Up Taxes That Don’t Exist Yet but Probably Should” satirized the state's legislative tendencies, striking a chord with readers who found the humor uncomfortably close to reality.
This pattern of satire mirroring reality has led to a growing sentiment among Oregonians that That Oregon Life is not just a source of humor but a lens through which the state's quirks are magnified and, at times, predicted. As one reader noted, "I read their articles to laugh, but sometimes I find myself wondering if they're just reporting tomorrow's news today." The site's blend of humor and insight continues to blur the lines between satire and reality, making it a unique fixture in Oregon's media ecosystem.
