Feeling the "Bern"

What exactly do people mean by "Feel the Bern"? I was startled to see this phrase begin to pop up, especially when used by supporters to encourage other supporters! Apparently, in the world of bodybuilding, "feel the burn" describes the sensation you achieve by working your muscles to the point where you know that they are going to start building themselves higher and stronger. I find that to be a rather bizarre coupling with the cries for taxpayer-funded swag, but perhaps the statement is only meant to indicate the 'good pain' that comes only with hard work and personal sacrifice for personal gain.

I am not a body builder. Though I will exercise to the point of "feeling burn", I am not exercise-inclined, and won't do it for the sake of doing it. I usually exercise for enjoyment and in hopes of weight loss. I do, however, engage in quite a bit of Internet debate, in which the phrase means something very different. Commenters will say "Burn!" or "Feel the burn!" when one member of a debate manages to put down the other in a very satisfyingly thorough and often demeaning way. For many people, the more demeaning the put-down, the more satisfying, and they crow "Feel the burn!" as the other debate opponent reels back, half-blinded by impotent fury.

Given that, when I first saw the phrase appear, I thought it meant, "We are going to vote for someone who is going to take things away from your already-embattled finances and crow about it as you struggle to make your ends once again meet!"

I have never really been able to rid myself of the utter distaste I hold for the term. As I see more and more of Sanders' policy stances, I doubt I ever will.