What's this, a sudden influx of votes and comments that visibly oppose the votes and comments that came from the intended community, made apparent by older, lower-visibility comments such as those under folds having completely opposite positions and ratings? Why that almost sounds like a brigade! Surely not, we left those behind on Reddit, right?
The meme got popular in the community's echo chamber. As it gained in activity, it wound up in more people's feeds, exposing it to users who found it obnoxious. It's not a conspiracy, it's just how the platform works. If you don't want your opinions scrutinized, keep them to yourself.