HAPPINESS USED TO TREND. NOW IT NEEDS A TRIGGER WARNING

Putting something out into the world used to be an act of joy. I would post because something looked good, felt good, or inspired good thoughts.

- AA PATAWARAN

A plate that begged for a photo, shoes that caught the morning light, a sky so perfect it made my coffee look cinematic, that was reason enough. Nobody died if I shared a beautiful meal. Nobody scolded me for enjoying myself. The worst that could happen was someone unfollowing me or, worse, rolling their eyes at my small victories.

Personal sharing was harmless then. A scroll through someone's sunny feed felt like flipping through a luxury lifestyle magazine. The bubble showed us what we could aspire to, what we could imagine for ourselves, but it never replaced the world outside. You paused to admire the composition, the careful choice of detail, and the sheer luck of good taste. It wasn't envy yet. It was aspiration, the collective fantasy of a life lit just right, where the things aligned, where one could imagine oneself better, richer, happier, or simply more alive.

But the mood shifted, slowly at first, then all at once. It became difficult to post anything light without feeling the weight of the world in the background. It's as if the algorithm started punishing joy. Somewhere between the third super typhoon and the latest scandal, the internet forgot how to smile.

A flood devastates the provinces. A building collapses because someone pocketed the funds meant for steel reinforcement. Yet on my feed someone is doing a slow pan of a poolside brunch, the mimosa catching the sun.

Can one even post happiness anymore without sounding tone-deaf? Does it mean we must dim our light because others are in the dark?