MANILA, Philippines ? When my friend told me about a new networking site, I really didn?t care because I already had Friendster and Multiply accounts and I didn?t even take those seriously?I just had them because everyone I knew had them too.

Several e-mails alerted me that some of my friends were inviting me to be their contact in Facebook but I ignored them. The e-mail alerts kept coming so I said, what the heck, if you can?t beat them, join them, right?

Different

I soon realized that Facebook was different. Not only can you post blogs, upload photos and videos, you can also do interactive stuff with your contacts and even chat with friends online. Everything you do and post can be seen by your contacts, people can actually react to whatever you put in your account, which made it even more awesome. I think what made Facebook sensational is the fact that it?s both very public and very personal. Don?t get me wrong it?s not all that public because there are also settings you can use if you wish to be private.

The quizzes

Then, the Facebook quizzes came and changed everything. People actually go out of their way just to answer the quizzes, even at work. I confess I?m one of them.

I asked my friends why they think people are so hooked on answering quizzes. One of them said, ?People usually hate to answer quizzes. First you have to think hard for the right answer; second it?s time consuming and restraining; third we somehow fear the results. Quizzes are normally meant to gauge your intellect or physical strength or weakness. And there?s the time element which causes pressure and that?s the fourth negative perception about quizzes. But these Facebook quizzes go against all four, for the simple reason that we are not graded nor measured for anything. It?s plain fun. It also serves as an escape route to the serious stuff we deal with everyday.? I totally agree with her. It?s fun!

What I love the most about the quizzes in Facebook is that you can answer questions without worrying whether you?re right or you?re wrong or whether your answer is silly or serious.

You can even fake your answers to get the results you like. Just imagine you can be a totally different person depending on how the results come out. Remember that in Facebook everybody sees what you put in it, so I really get a kick out of how my friends and other people react to what results come out of the quizzes I answer. Believe me when I say that there are really stupid questions but we still end up answering them anyway?it?s hilarious! Another funny thing is, you can also come up with your own quiz. You?ll be amazed of what kind of questions people come up with and even be more amazed of how much the foolish ones are the most popular ones. As another one of my friends said ?Alam mo naman ang Pinoy, masayahin at gaya-gaya, sali lang nang sali kung san Masaya [You know Filipinos. They hop on bandwagons. They will join, especially if it?s fun].? She?s right, indeed Filipinos are fun people.

We always come up with things to amuse ourselves and easily get hooked in joining the latest fad. You can always count on a Pinoy to join you if what you?re doing is fun, which in this case the hysterical questions found in Facebook quizzes.

It?s easy to spot a quiz made by a Pinoy, first of all it?s in Tagalog; second its full of gossip or foolishness; third it?s made in such a way that no matter what result comes out of your quizzes the comments you?ll receive are rib-tickling.

So why do I love answering the quizzes in Facebook? It?s fun, it takes you?re mind of the daily pressures you encounter. Answering the silly questions amuses not only your contacts and friends but other people who see your account as well. It brings you closer to your friends or family that you don?t get to see often. The quizzes serves as an icebreaker to those you don?t know and would like to know, even those people you?ve encountered in the past that you would like to refresh your acquaintance with. Making others happy and laugh I believe is a trait Filipinos are famous for. I?m a born and raised slapstick-loving Pinoy, that?s why I love to answer the quizzes found in Facebook.