Felicidade na tela: narrativas (re)encenadas no Instagram

Abstract

Each historical period is characterized by a unique way of dealing with life, relating to others, engaging with daily routines, experiencing happiness and suffering, in short, a particular way of "being oneself." This perspective prompts us to reflect on how happiness is presented in contemporary times. Based on this premise, this study aimed to explore some of the ways in which people express happiness through Instagram, or, in other words, how happiness is presented on this platform, highlighting its dynamic and multifaceted nature. To this end, public images (and their metadata: captions, hashtags, comments, etc.) tagged with the hashtag #felicidade on Instagram were analyzed. The study argues that Instagram is a privileged space for investigating contemporary modes of being, self-presentation, and feeling, as accessing the platform, posting images, or reacting to others’ posts are practices embedded in many people’s daily lives. Among the various forms of presenting happiness on Instagram, this study highlighted: the body itself; food on the table; personal narratives involving illness; intimacy related to romantic relationships between couples; and birthdays. It was observed that a conversational aspect, aesthetic dimension, and self-narratives pervade these forms of presenting happiness on Instagram. Ultimately, the study questions whether happiness is not only presented in image posts but is also constituted therein, as an experience of the self in the gaze of the other.