The Perks of Becoming Chronically Online: “Ang Ating Kasagutan ay Hindi po, Ate”

The Perks of Becoming Chronically  Online: “Ang Ating Kasagutan ay Hindi po, Ate”

What I Learned From Being Online Too Much, And Why I’m Not Mad About It

If you spend enough time on the internet — not just passively scrolling but really absorbing its strange rhythm — you’ll reach a point where your brain is permanently chronologically online. You don’t just see the memes. You know the context. You don’t just laugh at the trends — you finish them in your head.

Someone says “Ang ating kasagutan ay…”
And you instinctively whisper, “Hindi po, Ate.”

Welcome to the club.

What Does It Mean To Be Chronologically Online?

To be “chronically online” means you’ve been terminally logged on for years. You didn’t just arrive when Threads or TikTok popped off. You were there during the rise of Tumblr. You survived the FB Notes era. You still remember the original “PBB memes” and the golden age of Twitter when we were all just chaotic and slightly smarter at 140 characters.

You weren’t just present — you evolved with the feed. You’ve been shaped by it.

And while being online for too long has its obvious cons (screen time report: up 57%), I’ve realized it also taught me a lot — about culture, humor, politics, and even myself.

 

Perks? Oh, We Have Perks.

1. You’re Pop-Culture Fluent
You don’t just get the joke — you anticipate it. Whether it's the latest “It Girl” tweet, drag race references, or knowing that “You look like Linda Evangelista” is a cultural touchstone, you’re part of an unofficial community that’s somehow smarter, funnier, and faster than most newsrooms.

2. You Learn News Before the News Does
Before media outlets release a headline, you already saw the thread. Screenshotted the IG story. Watched the Tiktok breakdown. Let’s face it: X (Twitter) is where news breaks — and being chronically online means you’re ahead of the curve.

3. You Develop a Sharp Cultural Filter
Being online exposes you to multiple realities at once. You see how Gen Z talks, how millennials cope, how boomers comment in all caps, and how people from different social classes engage with issues. It sharpens your lens. You learn nuance. (And that nuance is often lacking offline.)

4. You Know When It’s a Joke, and When It’s Dangerous
You know how to tell when something’s just “bardagulan” or when it’s low-key bigotry disguised as a meme. That digital literacy? It’s a skill. And not everyone has it.

5. You Know How to Read the Room
Online trends are all about tone. From the “girl math” saga to “coquette-core,” you’ve learned how to code-switch, vibe-check, and communicate exactly the way your people — your niche — will get it. That’s communication strategy in disguise.

It’s Not Just Humor. It’s History.

We may laugh at trends like “delulu is the solulu” or the iconic “ang ating kasagutan ay…”, but make no mistake: these are cultural timestamps. They reflect how Filipinos process politics (Mecole Hardin 2022), heartbreak (Sawera 2023), and hope (Swerte tayo kung mahal tayo pabalik).

Being online, especially as a Filipino, means living through the emotional timeline of an entire generation — one meme, one cancelation, one campaign at a time.

But Let’s Be Honest: It Also Comes with Exhaustion

You also get tired.
Tired of the noise.
Tired of the performative wokeness.
Tired of the recycled discourse that returns every three months like a toxic ex.

And sometimes, you wonder: Am I even allowed to log off?

Still, I Choose to Stay — But Smarter

I’ve learned that being chronically online isn’t the problem.
The problem is when we consume more than we reflect.
When we scroll more than we breathe.
When we engage more than we heal.

So now, I stay online — but slower. More intentional. I curate what I consume. I ask:
“Will this make me laugh, learn, or love better?”

If not, I scroll past. Quietly. Without engaging. Without having to win the argument.

Final Thought

So yes, the perks of being chronically online are real.
But the realest perk?

Knowing when to laugh, when to care, when to share —
and when to say:
“Ang ating kasagutan ay hindi po, Ate.”
Because not every take needs a response.
And not every trend needs your peace.