Facebook: Pinoy style

By ALICE GREGORIO-NICOLAS

If you see a Pinoy pretending to be soooo relaxed yet the tappity-tappity-tappity-tap-tap-tap sound coming from his keyboard seems endless, he’s not into serious work. And what’s the smile on the face all about? Check again, he is on Facebook!

Facebook undeniably tickles our fancy to peep into other people’s lives. FB sustains our voyeuristic nature. There’s always the “Big Brother” element in our system. We want to know what our friends are doing or who they’re friends with. If we despise someone and we see him on FB hanging out with other friends, we get affected. Sounds trivial or mushy but we like our silliness anyway.

Quite frankly, Facebook is teaching me to be more open-minded by accepting the fact that people are different. Whenever I am confronted with pre-conceived notions and personal expectations and I start judging people, I remind myself that no two people are alike.

I have been observing the FB Pinoy culture and there’s a distinctiveness of how Pinoys join the rest of 500 million users of this biggest social networking site. Some good, some bad and the more I use FB, the more I understand what makes Filipinos unique. I would like to classify FB users:

Adik na adik sa Facebook
These are Pinoy FB users who seem to be on FB 24/7. It is the pulling energy of FB that make them log in all the time, checking what others are doing or updating their friends. As posted by a high school classmate, Grace Ann Aldeguer-Domingo, in her own FB language: “Facebook – part of our lives – every morning, before going to work – checking the msgs. on fb, reached work – using the cp, checking msgs and posts from friends…. minute ago, checks comments and replies… breaktime – checks again – going home – checks again… before and after dinner… again and again, chatting, playing games, before sleeping – hay ano ba yan????”

Sudden outburst
Pardon me but I like the sudden outburst of emotions when one is angry. I admire their courage and their candidness. It defies right manners but who would have the guts to say things like this on their wall: “Ang panget ng ugali mo!! nagble-blend p s mukha mo!! :DD.”

LIke a road rage, a young Pinay bravely posted this: “Use your f*ckin coconut shell!!! You have such a big mouth that you cannot control!!! You just want to hear and see your own self!!! You do not want to widen things that you see. All you want is to hear f*ckin good things about you!!! And another thing, you do not have to say such f*ckin things when you’re drinking. Hindi lang ikaw ang nauubos ang pasensya. Mag-isip ka kasi !!!

Whew! Am still trembling from the thundering effect of such posting. But I will never forget the posting of her mother: “If you don’t want other people to comment about the way you act or behave then act and behave nicely.” Another commented quickly: “Follow your Mom, whatever it is…God will take it away. Everybody loves you.” So while young Pinoys use FB for their extreme rage, FB becomes a support group offering others a calming effect. The following day, the posting was removed.

Friendly advice with a kick
Unlike the “sudden outburst” type, this one is for a mature person. The language is not vulgar, the tone is friendly yet the content is sarcastic. Again this is a unique FB Pinoy trait when one is so upset yet has the decency to offer a good advice. To a backbiting friend, someone posted this: “Hindi ako pulitikong tao at di ko kailangang makipagtagisan ng galing. Ang sa akin lang maging diretso ka huwag kang manira at mang-apak ng tao para lang mai-angat ang sarili mo.”

The intellectuals/literary figures
This is a small group. Very rare you see shallow or mundane comments. I like the cerebral postings as they are commendable and inspiring. Either there is a literary event or an academic award, a booklaunching or simply a posting of an article on economics, politics or other serious topics. Once in a while I enjoy this side of the world although not that popular as everyone wants to relax on FB. But then again, this group has its own postings which appeal to its small circle.

Party animals
This group would post photos of parties or gatherings they go to nearly on a weekly basis. They dance, they drink, they eat and they have fun. And since they all go to the same gathering, they post and comment on each other’s postings creating another party on FB! The jokes and moments they share are best shared and appreciated by themselves. Same people, different venues and usually photos are posted on the same day of the affair.

Shopaholics
It is easy to detect who are shopaholics on FB. Usually they are the ones posting photos when they bought signature items, when they wear new clothes or new houses/furniture. They adore shots of them while shopping with friends. It would be hard to see them wearing the same clothes as they have lots and lots to wear anyway.

Twinkle, twinkle little star
If you want to be a star, have a photo with a real star. Pinoys have this habit of having photos with artists or big personalities. Who isn’t anyway? So the more photos you have with celebrities, the more sikat you become.

Food trippers
I love friends posting what they whipped up in their kitchen, either a snack, dessert or dinner. When I fancy a dish I would quickly ask for a recipe or comment how yummy it looks. I also like posting dishes I cooked as I too have a busy kitchen. My knowledge on food photography is also enhanced. A very amateur one but still learning and taking photos of what I cook.

Something old, something new
Facebook is a place for meeting new people. You post new babies, new place, new accessories, anything new. At the same time, you see your old friends, old love or former crush. FB is an open field and it’s embarrassing to comment about your first crush, first blush, first date or first love. Love gets complicated on FB. I even know someone who does not want to open an FB account as he fears it might cause a marriage rift. Hhmmm, that serious?

Facebook closet
There are also people whose press release is this: “I don’t like Facebook.I can’t be bothered. Facebook is too shallow.” The funny thing is this same person is on Facebook all the time! My advice: Join the bandwagon. You have the option to not log in anyway but you’re just fooling yourself if you keep saying you’re not into it then secretly checking everyone’s profile. Stop being a Facebook closet!

So my FB world revolves around the myriad Pinoy personalities–so versatile, unique and funny. I enjoy FB just for the fun of it and for connecting to people I don’t normally see–my high school classmates, college pals, old neighbours, new friends, colleagues, former workmates, family and relatives. I learn from the language, the emotions, photos and the places people travel to. An extremely busy person I sometimes ask myself: Is Facebook really valuable as I fancy it to be? There are days my answer is YES and there are boring days and I say NO. But at the moment, while I am enjoying FB and I know that I am in control instead of FB controlling my life, then I just log in and join in the fun! ….tappity-tappity-tappity-tap-tap-tap LOL!