Subtitled: “Email Etiquette”
There is a radio station in Kansas City, 96.5 “The Buzz”, and during one of their afternoon banters, the DJs decided to confront “SlimFast’s” mother about her forwarded emails. Long story-short, we end with drama and pissed off mothers… sound familier? There seems to be an unyielding murmur regarding “forwarded” emails and simple email etiquette. It seems the current trend is this, “While I cannot send an email stating my objections, supports or philosophy/theology/opinion, if I forward someone else’s, now that’s OK.”
Case in point, any of you/us that have used email for a long time have received emails from a friend/family member (generally of some form of gloom) without making sure the emails content was legitimate. Two that stick our in my mind is; 1. An email that circulated regarding a missing girl in Pennsylvania and 2. HIV infected syringes in McDonald’s playground ball pits. Both very serious subjects that deserve attention. Any sensible person would want to help reunite a mother and her child and make sure that children are not being stuck with dirty needles. BUT, after a quick check with www.Snopes.comor search of the Internet would inform the sender, this is bogus.
Now here’s the most frustrating part; I had received a couple too many emails like this from one of my family members, and I responded to the last one, “Please check this stuff out before you send it…” The reply I received was no unlike the radio DJ’s mother, “Well, I AM JUST TRYING TO HELP….” or something in capital letters (Note: Capital letters mean, “I CANT TYPE” or “I AM SCREAMING AT YOU”), this instance I was being screamed at. Here’s the rub, my family member wastrying to be helpful. What she read was important and she wanted me to know about. Additionally, she did not know about snopes or the fact that emails get sent that are completely erroneous. Why would anyone do that?
Truth is, many of the forwarded email you receive are full of incorrect or misleading information. What is the tip-off, if it is shocking, provocative, time sensitive or up setting. Some will argue that, “I just want to inform others”. This is very admirable, BUT, check it out. Everyone who emails, loves to get emails. I love it when my wife drops me a quick note, or my brother sends me a comment, or my Mom emails to see how everyone is. We love to know that our loved ones are thinking of us. When we run through our contact list and check off people we wish to forward an email to them, we are not trying to communicate, we are simply “forwarding” something. Slimfast’s mother (Slimfast, radio DJ from above), stated, “I just wanted you to know I am thinking of you…” There is truth in that statement, BUT the bottom line is, you are forwarding garbage at the click of a button.
Why is this a big deal? Actually, there is a lot of reasons. One, it’s freaking annoying! If you know me, you know I always wish to help (actually why I am writing this blog), but mindlessly forwarding email helps spread misinformation and rumors. With the advent of email, you can virtually contact someone halfway around the world, instantly. On top of that, at the click of a button, you can send this instantly to dozens if not hundreds of people. So can they. This helps to propagate misinformation. If anyone cannot understand this, think of the days of chain letters. Did you rush down to the store to make copies and get them instantly in the mail. Did people appreciate you doing that? Did if give you and others enjoyment? Did you sit by the mail box and hope for a chain letter? If so, please see someone for a personality transplant, else wise, forwarded emails are chain letters on steroids.
I have wanted to put this into an email and forward it to a slew of folks I have known in my life, but this way is MUCH better. It is up to the reader to have found this dribble and consumed it at their desire. FOR GOD’S SAKE, don’t take the URL of this page and FORWARD it to all your friends. Then we’re both being buttholes…. 
Much Love,
1OR
2 responses so far ↓
Jamie Norris // July 12, 2008 at 12:39 am
Truly. The internet and email can be dangerous in the hands of those who blindly “only want to help”, butt-in, coerce and/or control. I’ve personally witnessed destruction caused by the false sense of security that email provides. Something on your mind? Send them an email! No need to see the pain on their face when you can do it remotely. And as for sensational email chains which carelessly get forwarded ad nauseum, I would like to think that the majority of friends and family do so because they are not aware of helpful sites like snopes.com. Or they are too tired/lazy to do a bit of research before hitting send. Or it simply didn’t occur to them they might be propagating misinformation via the internet. But we love them (friends and family) anyway.
deana331 // July 13, 2008 at 2:51 am
Here’s my irritation. The guilty pray and forward. Gross. Thanks for using God to clog the servers.
Oh, and thanks to my uncles for the crappy emails with all the dancing figures.
One last fav (NOT) is the joke emails from my pops. It took me YEARS to break him of that habit.
Sigh.