Booking on Facebook

Facebook. I’ve only been on it for about a year maybe. And only got the hang of it for less than that. I blame it on my solitary nature.

My initial hesitation was that I’d become too accessible. I would be found by everyone, including those people I didn’t really want to be found by. But I guess I got over that in a bahala-na way, because before I knew it, I had added hundreds of friends, people from way back elementary days to the present. Hmm.

Facebook has also become a tool I use to promote Positivism. Positivism has its own Facebook page, and I’ve been taking the liberty of inviting people to “Like” the page. Would people be wondering why I’m promoting HIV awareness? I’d like to set a good example and say I couldn’t care less. So I’ve invited all my elementary, high school, and college friends to Positivism. Keber. If at least, it makes them think about HIV. If it makes them wonder what’s my tiff with HIV, well then that’s not my banana to split.

It’s not like only HIV positives have “Liked” the page. Over 200 of my own friends have liked it, all the way from former classmates and colleagues, to friends and buddies. I sort of lost all the qualms about being linked too definitively to HIV. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just promoting health and wellness. That’s all.

After I was done inviting the people I knew, I went after people I didn’t know. Of course I’d need to “Friend” them on my own Facebook account first before I’d be able to suggest Positivism to them. So I went out searching for people who I thought would need some HIV awareness.

How did I do that? Simple. I judge how sexual people are by their profile pictures. Hehe. Basically any profile picture that makes me say “Wow!” gets my attention and my add.

Too hot to handle... check!
Half-naked profile pics... check!
Chests without faces... check!
Abs without faces... check!
Crotches without faces... check!

Hehe, okay fine call me judgmental. But this is Facebook, after all. Not Guys4men. Not Chestbook. Not Absbook. Not Crotchbook. Right? So yes, lately, my Facebook page has been filled with chests, abs and crotches. Should I be concerned?

It isn’t all that easy, but I‘m ready to be judged. I’ve gotten the flak from some of my real friends as well. My favorite doctor-advocate has jibbed me with, “Hataw sa pag-add ng friends ah!” Fine, I admit... it looks like I'm just booking on Facebook. I tried explaining my logic. As to whether he believed me or not, heaven knows.

Another acquaintance has kidded me that maybe he should change his profile picture to a towel-clad or naked one as well, considering that I seem to have an affinity to that. Ha ha ha. It’s fine, really. Not that I have a reputation that would be tarnished or anything.

And finding my hot Facebook friends is becoming easier actually. Apparently, the tell-me-who-your-friends-are mantra is true. Chests, abs and crotches are friends with chests, abs and crotches. Eventually, people were finding me as well, people I most definitely didn’t know personally who were maybe piqued by the fact that I had such lewd friends. Hmm.

Again, why am I doing this? Well, I add my hot friends. And then I check out their pictures and drool a bit. And then I invite them to “Like” Positivism. As simple as that. But why again?

Well, I’m sort of challenged by the HIV Registry of the DOH. As of June 2010, a total of 5,233 Filipinos have been diagnosed with HIV. And I’m thinking that it should be easier to get people to click a “Like” button than getting them infected and diagnosed with HIV, right?

Not as easy as you’d think. I’m guessing it happens that some accept my suggestion and “Like” it, but upon realizing that it’s about HIV, then they retract and decide they don’t want to be connected to HIV and all. Hmm.

It’s actually funny. But it’s working somewhat. The fanbase of Positivism has been increasing anyway, albeit just one or two a day. We currently have a fan base of over 5,260. While the HIV registry is hot on our tail, at least there are still more Positivism advocates on Facebook than there are HIV-positives on the DOH registry, right?

For now, I hope my growing network means that the Positivism network is growing too, and that in turn I hope to mean that the number of people becoming aware of HIV is growing, too.

If you‘re not yet a fan, visit www.Positivism.ph, or search for Positivism on Facebook, or click here. You can also help by clicking the “Suggest to Friends” link below our profile pic on Facebook and sending it to your friends. Thanks!