Big Smile, No Teeth: The unbearable lightness of breathing灿烂的笑容，却不见牙齿：呼吸的轻盈令人难以承受
We have become experts at monitoring the air we breathe, yet our obsession with pollution readings may be obscuring a far bigger human tragedy.
A cyclist riding through thick haze caused by wildfires in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Oct 23, 2026. While Malaysians are suffering badly from the transboundary haze, the columnists points out that 'protests are spreading across Indonesia because people there are furious, and they are furious from inside the smoke, not downwind of it'. — AP
I have started checking an air quality app the way other people check their stock portfolio. Several times a day. With real emotional investment. In full knowledge that nothing I learn will change a single thing I do next.
Here are some recent Air Pollution Index (API) numbers for anyone who has been indoors with the windows shut: Johan Setia, Klang, hit 192. Shah Alam was at 181 at some point. Melaka City, 178. Putrajaya, 176. Pasir Gudang went all the way to very unhealthy, 207. (Anything over 100 is unhealthy, over 200 is very unhealthy.)
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Thank you for your report!
Big Smile, No Teeth: The unbearable lightness of breathing
2026年10月23日，一名骑自行车的人穿过印度尼西亚中加里曼丹省帕朗卡拉亚市山火造成的浓烟。尽管马来西亚人正饱受跨境烟霾之苦，但专栏作家指出，“抗议活动正在印尼各地蔓延，因为那里的人们怒不可遏，而且他们是身处烟雾之中，而非在下风口。”——美联社
我开始像其他人查看股票投资组合一样查看空气质量应用程序。一天好几次。而且投入了真情实感。我完全明白，我从中获得的任何信息都不会改变我接下来的任何行动。
以下是一些近期空气污染指数（API）数据，供那些待在室内且窗户紧闭的人们参考：巴生Johan Setia的空气污染指数高达192。莎阿南一度达到181。马六甲市为178。布城为176。巴西古当的空气污染指数更是高达207，达到“非常不健康”级别。（超过100即为不健康，超过200即为非常不健康。）
笑容灿烂，牙齿缺失：长生不老。然后呢？
笑容灿烂，牙齿缺失：凡事值得做，都不容易——这就是人生。
笑容灿烂，却无牙齿：当水源枯竭，警告才会出现。
感谢您的报告！
灿烂的笑容，却不见牙齿：呼吸的轻盈令人难以承受