On the Dark Side of the Seemingly Innocuous Facebook Quiz


If you are anything like me, you love those Facebook quiz-notes. You know that ones that ask random questions or invite you to write random things about yourself and post them in a note and tag all your friends? These are such a very great thing.

I am not talking about quiz applications, like "What primary color are you?" (I got red!) or "What kind of STD are you?" (I got gonorrhea!) or "What kind of bowel movement are you?" (I got diarrhea! No, wait. I got Someone's Been Eating Corn!) Those quizzes are totally fine. No problem with those. It is not as if someone has designed them in order to steal your personal information and SPAM all your friends. (What are you talking about? I didn't send a note to all my friends telling them I had a secret crush on them!?!?)

In case you are unfamiliar with the quiz-notes I am referring to, here are some example questions:

1. Do you like to drink coffee in the morning?

2. What color shirt do you have on?

3. What do you like to do for fun?


You copy your friend's post, delete their answers, and re-post with your own answers. Then you tag your friends so that they can join in on the fun.

Through this process you find out so many interesting details about your friends- things that you had no way of knowing before. And, through sharing simple facts about each others' lives, we find out how similar we really are, making our petty differences seem insignificant, for after all, we are all human beings with the same hopes and dreams and vulnerabilities.

Who knew that Claire, my old co-worker at the insurance office, likes to drink coffee in the morning? I like to drink coffee in the morning! What are the chances of that? I feel so very connected to her. We are like kindred coffee drinking spirits.

And Maxine, my old college roommate, revealed in a quiz, that she was wearing a green shirt. When I read that, I immediately looked down to see what color shirt I had on. And what do you know? I was wearing a blue shirt! She had a green shirt on and I had a blue shirt on! What are the chances of that? Green and blue are almost exactly the same color! I felt so connected to her. It is a deeply human experience to feel the tapestry of life that connects us all.

And Stephanie, the woman I used to take that kick boxing class with- turns out that she likes to give hand jays to businessmen behind the A & P. How is that for a coincidence! I like to give hand jays to businessmen behind the A & P!!! What a small world this is! I haven't seen Stephanie in two years, but now I feel so connected to her!

But for all the good that those Facebook quizzes do, for all the peace that they spread, making you feel at one with everyone; there is a darker side.


Be wary of the following quiz called "25 Totally and Completely Random Questions About Me." If you get tagged, best to ignore it.


1. Do you like to drink coffee in the morning?

2. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite?

3. Do you own a gun?

4. Have you ever smoked cigarettes?

5. What is your street address?

6. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?

7. Do you have a dog at your house?

8. When is your next doctor's appointment?

9. Do you have an alarm system at your house?

10. Can you do push ups?

11. What's your most valuable piece of jewelry?

12. Where do you keep that piece of jewelry?

13. Favorite hobby?

14. Do you have A.D.D.?

15. Middle name?

16. Social Security number?

17. Name 2 or 3 drinks you regularly drink.

18. Are you a sound sleeper?

19. When would you say your house is most likely to be vacant?

20. Favorite celebrity?

21. When you are locked out of your house, how do you normally break in?

22. Favorite breakfast cereal?

23. How many flat screen TVs do you have in your house?

24. Favorite vacation spot?

25. Dates of next vacation?


Also, be wary of the following notes that are going around Facebook right now- "1,730 Random Facts About My Childhood," "67 Things I Have Stolen From Work," and "Ten Things That Would Totally Freak Out My Family If They Knew."


Happy Facebooking!


P.S. Since I don't like abbreviations, I prefer to call the site by its proper name, "Book of the Face." Feel free to follow suit.




Go ahead and click on the teeny envelope icon and send this post to a friend. Don't be jerky and claim that you wrote it because I wrote it, damn it.

7 Response to "On the Dark Side of the Seemingly Innocuous Facebook Quiz"

  • http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com Says:

    I took one of those quizzes. Since I really want you to like me and think we have a lot in common, I answered the questions as if I were you. Hope I got your address right. I know how much you want to make new friends too, so I wanted to help you with that.

    P.S. You might not want to take those sleeping pills on August 12th... you might be having visitors.


  • http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com Says:

    Just in case you were wondering...

    1. Do you like to drink coffee in the morning?
    Most definitely, YES! MUST HAVE!

    2. What color shirt do you have on?
    Black (It goes with anything)

    3. What do you like to do for fun?
    Read Callithump Thunderblog


  • surveygirl46 Says:

    Hi CaliTHUMP - I just wrote a post about Face book too (3 posts ago lol); it's funny how it's not just a job, it's an adventure too! I haven't taken the one you're talking about but I've been ducking smilies since i joined LOL


  • NJ Pigno Says:

    Dear Cat Lady,

    I am about to drink some COFFEE!! And I am wearing a green shirt! But, under my green shirt, I have a black shirt on!!! And, I love to read Callithump Thunderblog too!

    We are so connected that I bet you had no trouble filling out that quiz as if you were me.

    On August 12 I wasn't even planning on being here. I was going to do my annual leave town with all my doors open thing. But it is probably best not to advertise that, so don't tell anyone. People might want to pilfer my iphone collection. (which I should have a substantial one by then, if things go according to plan.)

    Sincerely,

    Sondra Stinglash


  • NJ Pigno Says:

    Dear Surveygirl,

    Facebook for sure has its pluses and minuses- I have a policy against applications...and high school classmates.

    Enjoyed your post.

    Sincerely,

    Sondra Stinglash


  • Steam Me Up, Kid Says:

    Holy crap this was so funny, I'm jealous I didn't write it!


  • NJ Pigno Says:

    Steamy- Now you know how I feel when I read your blog!


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