Orkut and the X-men

It was a cousin of mine, a young girl who was getting married shortly, who introduced me to Orkut. Before that , like most people my age I was wary, suspicious and never really saw the need for it. The media reports sensationalizing every little thing to do with Orkut had created doubts in my mind too. After I started using it, I knew why people raved so much about it. It was so addictive, so easy to use, and best of all, it got me in touch with people whom I had shared such happy memories, yet lost touch, over the years.

Now I have been using it for more than two years and know my way around. :-)

What amuses me no end is the kind of men I come across here. Women are mostly wary and most women have a ‘don’t mess with me’ kind of message on their profile. And I know why—its just because those really desperate-wannabe-hero type of men out there. I classify them as under:

! 1. The loveship-fraindship types: These typically send you requests solely,purely and only because of two reasons

a. you are a woman

b. you are a woman :-)

Typically their requests run like this

“ur pic is very nice
can u add me ur friend list
i know u have more friends
give one chanc to me i m profe to gud for u
i have allso gud friend in orkut.now we r a very gud friend.can u add me??????????????"”

I delete the scrap and the request without a seconds hesitation—and to be doubly sure I go and remove it from my trash-can as well. I can’t bear the the thought of it polluting my beloved g-mail.

2. The Maska-chaska types : These usually praise anything about you. If you have not used your photo, they praise the display picture you have chosen. If you have mentioned books as your interest they claim they love people who love books.(not books mind you, but people)If you have used a snap of yours, then they praise everything.

I usually delete these too. But I let them stay in my trash can for a while :-) (I am a woman after all)

3. The no-intro types: These straight away send a friend request. No introduction, no scrap, no politeness, no sense! Of course I don’t bother with these.

4. The IIT-IIM types: Many people who have that qualification think that they ought to be in your friends list, just because they have cleared the JEE and the CAT. What irks me is their intellectual arrogance and the lack of basic etiquette, manners and courtesy. Of course, everyone from IIT/IIM is NOT like that. But I know a few specimens who list it prominently on their profile like it is the ultimate thing in life (Maybe in their life it indeed is.) I don’t refer here to the communities they are a part of which is totally acceptable, as after all it is only natural, because it is where they studied. What I am talking about is those guys who put ‘IIT-IIM’ in their ‘about me’ on their profile and nothing else—like it is the only thing about them that matters.

5. Celebrity-photo types: These guys will never have picture of them anywhere on their profile or album. It is usually filled with pictures of celebrities. I find it really pointless. Are you so ashamed of who you are that you hide and worse you fill your album with pictures of celebrities? What is the purpose or point? I don’t know!

6. Okay guys: This category is the by far the best. These guys use their own pictures. They list out their likes and dislikes. They don’t pretend to be what they are not. There are no ‘sexy aunty looking for _______’ in their friend list or their community list. They also list whether they are single or married or ‘committed’. They usually are well-read, can make decent conversation and are not blatant woman chasers, at least on the face of it. (What they may be thinking in their minds is another matter altogether) And yes--they can include guys from category 4.

No wonder then that I am, like most women, so wary of friendship requests from men. There are only very few good ones out there.

I usually go and see the profiles of whoever has visited my profile. Today I got a friend request which said that I had left footprints in his profile and therefore I MUST add him at least now! (What a choice of words!) I wanted to respond back that I usually accept friend requests from men I don’t know, only if they make an application in triplicate, and get it approved and signed by my husband. (Who is also on Orkut and is prominently featured in my profile in the testimonials section. heh heh.) Satish said to tell him that he would leave hand imprints, not foot prints, if he continued sending such requests.

But I knew better. I just deleted the request and the scrap. :-)