randulo’s unblog

Disappointed. Saddened.
I just received an email from the stepfather of a dear friend. I've been
in contact with this guy casually, never met him, but we've exchanged a
few mails from time to time, including a few stupid jokes as newbies are
wont to send out. (Why? Because it's there?) Today I got a nasty Obama
family smear attempt forwarded to a long visible CC list of people. This
is so wrong on so many levels I have to talk about it.
 
First, what to do?

Tell him? Tell my friend? No, I'll tell you and it
may save someone else from having this saddening experience. I can't see
confronting him as good nor do I want to put my friend in the middle.
 
On CC'ed forwarded emails with all addresses visible

One word: DON'T. Please do not send my email
to a bunch of people I don't know, especially political or religious
stuff that may be the opposite of my own opinions. THINK about why this
is a bad idea. Would you send me a negative review of a wine you know I
love just to piss me off? No one would do that. Why would someone think
it's reasonable to do it for religious or political reasons? In fact,
why would you send a negative anything to anyone?
 
Be positive! Make the world better, not bitter.
 
On the US president. RESPECT the fact that we had an election with
results that are certainly more clear than the last two. RESPECT the
fact that whatever you may think about the current administration, I may
have voted for them as is my right. Rights are not for the eye of the
beholder you know, we all have them, at the time of this writing.
 
Wine people would never think of applying these tactics to their
friends, or for that matter even their enemies. If you want to drink
White Zin, I wouldn't waste my time sending you silly things about it.
It's your decision.
 
Disgruntled voters, please get over yourselves.

There are elections  every four years. Get ready for the next one, do what you can to win,
that's what the system is there for. Please don't insult my intelligence
by sending blatant mud-slinging messages to me about the current
administration. I would never, ever, under any circumstances send you
such messages or poke you in any way about this. I am always ready to
talk, in person, about any of these things. Emails are like bombs you
throw over a wall, they don't encourage discussions. Uncool, uncouth, rude.

Proselytism  (wikipedia definition)

One word, STOP. When people come up to me on the street
about their religious beliefs, my first response is a smile, a gentle
shaking of the head (no) and a "no thanks". LEAVE IT THAT. Why are you
poking at this, saying "but it will only take a minute, I just have a
question"? This is dishonest, like an MLM party where you're invited to
share some thought about "good eating" and get there to find it's a sell
me to sell you party.
 
I had a violent reaction to someone a few years ago regarding social
networking , which I saw at the time as a bunch of people giving
conferences about social media and selling each other lessons on how to
sell people social media. I was wrong then, but look what's happened.
 
"Social media" has become inundated with MLM like schemes, people
Tweeting about getting 22,000 followers in just two days for $199.
 
Wow I feel better and covered several life experiences at the same time.
I'll just forward subsequent emails from this person to
http://spamcop.net and be done with it.