I think this just comes down to personal taste on how you’re interpreting the image? I find the original shoggoth image cute enough that I use it as my primary discord message reacts. My emotional reaction to it to the best of my introspection has always been “weird alien structure and form” or “awe-inspiringly powerful and incomprehensible mind” and less “horrifying and scary monster”. I’m guessing this is the case for the vast majority of people I personally know who make said memes. It’s entirely possible the meme has the end-consequence of appealing to other people for the reasons you mention, but then I think it’s important to make that distinction.
I think this just comes down to personal taste on how you’re interpreting the image? I find the original shoggoth image cute enough that I use it as my primary discord message reacts. My emotional reaction to it to the best of my introspection has always been “weird alien structure and form” or “awe-inspiringly powerful and incomprehensible mind” and less “horrifying and scary monster”. I’m guessing this is the case for the vast majority of people I personally know who make said memes. It’s entirely possible the meme has the end-consequence of appealing to other people for the reasons you mention, but then I think it’s important to make that distinction.