
CONTAGION: the happiness virus
On Quisicosas since 11 May 2025
Featured in the newsletter of
11 May 2025 (on Substack)
What it is about
WELL, NOT INTENTIONALLY. You were just a regular virologist until one night, in your lab, you discovered a virus that does something to the human brain that could change the way humans live, forever. You discovered the Happiness Virus. Needless to say, your bosses weren't as thrilled as you thought they'd be, and want to suppress this information from the public. And they've let you know that you, lowly peon, are to say nothing to anyone, because otherwise... mumblemumblevaguethreat . THIS ISN'T RIGHT. And you're about to do something about it. CONTAGION lets you seed a virus that will help mankind through the sending of random postcards with positive messages and/or doing random acts of online kindness. You'll find targets, make your cards, and mail them...all while dodging your evil employer who would very much like you not to do what you're doing. AND...IT'S NOT JUST A FUN LITTLE GAME. There's actual science behind it. (Science that has it's own equation , even, so you know it's sciency.) The things you do during this game can actually help to infinitesimally move the needle toward making your community a happier one, in general. (And you know that tiny increments of change combine into not-so-tiny ones, so you're doing your part.) YOU'LL NEED: the rules, a stack of postcards, writing materials, and a willingness to write cheesy, happy things to strangers. COME SPREAD THE IDEAVIRUS.

