There is something I've realized. Something that has recently struck me. It's really quite phenomenal (ha, I hope you are laughing kylie--mahnahmahnah).
People actually believe that when they receive e-mails with stupid poems or poorly written stories about love, death, religion, etc., that if they do not forward it to 10 of their not-so-close co-workers that they will have bad luck, lose an eye, or be cursed with a sudden bought of ugliness. Seriously. I mean they have to believe in them--otherwise, why the hell would they do it?!? Some may say its just to forward a fun message or a good laugh, but when I receive forwards that are sent to exactly 10 people, I begin to get suspicious.
I've received similar emails from several different people in the last few weeks including--but not limited to--my aunt, a member of an organization I belong to, and a local town council member. These people have little in common (with the exception of gender...c'mon ladies...really?!?) and are of different ages, backgrounds, races, and education levels. From a mass communications perspective this is really brilliant. Its practically universal and extroadinarily simple--hell, even before the ease of the internet, people actually hand wrote and mailed such letters. Think about the author of these works, their messages have a larger audience than any press release/news story I will ever write. It kind of makes me want to write one myself...a claim to fame, of sorts.
Hey, have you read my latest forward I authored?? I've forwarded one million copies already...
I know what you are thinking--it's just a fun thing people do and nobody actually believes something bad is going to happen to them. But I disagree 89% because I look around my own office and see how difficult it is to get people to communicate with other people when the only threat corresponding to the failure to do so, is the loss of their job, and its still hard to get them to do something in a timely manner. Perhaps if my boss' next demanding email had a disclaimer at the bottom that if I do not call at least five different printers to receive quotes in the next hour that I will never have good sex again I'd be a little more eager to chat-it-up about glossy v. matte and whether I want the 20 lbs. bright white or something a little thicker.
Could you imagine if the "chain letter" philosophy was valid to all things in life--OOPS! You've just been infected with AIDS, please pass the disease on to ten people or you will be infected for life...
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