MetaChat - Know what's lousy?

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15 February 2008

Know what's lousy? I just checked my SPAM folder...→[More:]and found that I had gotten about 30 messages from SPAMMers yesterday. Almost all of them were headed something like "Hi Valentine!" or "Poem About Us" or "I Like You" or "Secret Admirer."

I know SPAMmers are manipulative and that this is what they do. But what made me sad is that they know these message lines are so powerful - that so many people are hopeful about being loved and having sweet messages or being surprised by a secret admire, and that this is such a vulnerable place to attack people. It makes me realize how much longing there is out there, that SPAMmers know fewer people could resist clicking on what looks like a personal message of love.

It reminds me of my favorite Samuel Johnson quote: "I have always considered it as treason against the great republic of human nature, to make any man's virtues the means of deceiving him."

post by: Miko at: 10:04 | 8 comments

Huh . . .

Also, I was thinking the same thing yesterday. There is so much non-consious pressure to conform, to fit-in. VD day can be very lonely and sad for some of us. Well, most holidays can be.

posted by MonkeyButter 15 February | 10:13

You are right, Miko. Exploiting such a basic emotional need for such a crass purpose is really offensive. I get sick of manipulative ads that use kids to sell stuff for the same sort of reason, though that's not quite as heartless.

posted by BoringPostcards 15 February | 10:19

I often wonder how spammers and scammers can live with themselves. But, like D. Rumsfeld, they probably sleep just fine. I wonder about what percentage of the population those sort of people represent. Hopefully a small percentage, but I really don't know.

posted by DarkForest 15 February | 10:25

I always notice the commercials that manipulate old people- all this stuff about making sure you're not a burden to your family when you die and making sure you're paying someone lots of money in case you fall down when you're ALL ALONE.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 15 February | 10:28

That is lousy, Miko.

And in the vein of manipulative commercials... we were flicking through channels the other night and had to stop and watch some infomercial because it was the most unapologetically, blatantly manipulative thing I have ever seen. You know, I can't even remember what the product was (commercial FAILS) but it was full of phrases about "STRANGERS COMING TO YOUR HOME" and "CHILDREN BEING SAFE" and I'm sure there was something in there about not being a burden to your family. It was hilarious. And then I was sad that there are people out there who are so scared of the world that this would work on them.

posted by gaspode 15 February | 10:52

My feelings were hurt yesterday that my Nigerian 419 spammer, Jesus Champagne (who we're stringing along in the office via a collaboration into which the team puts more effort than we ever do for work) didn't send me a valentine.

He'll pay for it, mark my words.

posted by essexjan 15 February | 11:23

Are you gonna nab him, essexjan? That's noble work indeed!

Yeah, TPS, I hate the old-people ones too. I also have a hard time watching QVC because I feel that it takes advantage of lonely, often old people too -- the way the seller-esses talk about what a sweet and charming gift for a grandchild or neice or nephew some godawful thing would make.

posted by Miko 15 February | 12:27

Yeah, we're gonna get him Miko. Actually, it's with official approval that we're stringing him along. He's writing to me at my work address and, well, how stupid can a spammer be, I work for a type of financial services cop organisation and he hasn't cottoned on yet that he's playing with fire.

posted by essexjan 15 February | 13:07

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