101 things about me

Tuesday 4 September 2007

Press delete on negativity

There are emails I receive that I trash without hesitation. Yes people, I'm talking of the emails that threaten bad luck if you don't send them on to your entire contact list. It is the modern day equivalent of the objectionable chain mail of the 70's. And yet it is worse than even that. These are sent en masse. There is no consideration for the receipient. No effort required. The forward button is pressed with little or no thought. It is cyber pollution. So stop it.

For those of you who continue to send them to me, be warned, it stops here. I will not be subject to threats of misfortune or bad luck in love, based on the words of some internet geek with nothing better to do than add to the email trail that bombards us daily. Enough is enough.

It's time to stop forwarding fickle generic messages of love and prosperity if the immediate follow up is guaranteed poverty and despair.

"I love you, you enrich my life with your beauty and compassion, but if you don't send this to 200 of your nearest and dearest within two minutes of receiving this email, death and destruction to you...
... Love your good buddy!"

Hmmmm. Good buddy huh? This would be my next door neighbour who was my 'friend' when the adults were in sight and who used to throw stink bombs over the fence as I went to the local shop to buy my bag of mixed lollies! Good buddy my ass!

SO. By all means send the message of positivity and motivation, but before you press send, highlight those 'forward or else' messages and delete them. Make a stand and let your friends and family know they are loved, without the threats.

Having received this new happier, less threatening version, I may even respond with an email that mentions your name and asks specifically about how life is going right now. I may even ask about your family and friends and how the kids are going, or your latest travel plans. As a friend, these things are important to me!

Have a nice day.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Jacinta, why not download Mailwasher, it's free. http://www.mailwasher.net/
It checks your mail server before you download the mail to your computer and you can blacklist spam to automatically delete. I use it everyday. Brilliant.

Anonymous said...

I love this post! I do exactly the same. The first time I deleted one of those emails, I had a moment of superstitious apprehension...these days I hit that delete key without a second thought. And I feel just as indignant as you - why would anyone forward this rubbish?