Truth or Fiction?
Everyday when I open my e-mail account, I have an avalanche of forwarded articles warning me about something. OK, maybe I was exagerrating on the avalanche part. Still, it does get tiresome having to clear out an inbox filled with warnings that I have seen before.
I will accept and understand that forwarding stuff is well-meant and that it is an intent to share a story. I will acknowledge it is a way to say, "I am thinking of you". However, if one is really thinking of another, how about writing a short note? I know that I'd love to hear from family and friends about what they have been up to. Even if it is a line, it means more than a forwarded redundant warning.
Having said that, I don't turn away prayers forwarded to me - that is a nice way to say you are thinking of me. I appreciate blessings anytime. I will take interesting and pertinent articles relating to life, love, culture and politics. I find that including a short note to a forwarded piece of writing gives it a personal touch. I will accept jokes and cartoons, be it clean, innocent, naughty, dirty - it works for me. I'd like to have a good laugh every day, if possible. I especially welcome inspirational articles. Inspiration to live and love.
I have been in the cyberworld since 1996. Since then, I have been reminded countless times not to heat plastics in the microwave. I have been warned about HIV-infected needles in the theatre and at petrol pumps. Oh! the endless pleas to boycott Tommy Hilfiger because he is apparently a racist. The list is somewhat exhaustive. These stories are called e-rumours.
Here's the bad news: Those e-rumours I mentioned above - all fiction. Except for heating the plastics in the microwave, where it is partly unproven.
And the good news: There is a website that verifies e-rumours. Go to http://truthorfiction.com/
Fellow blogger, Theodwyn, says "there's another website (http://www.snopes.com/) which verifies these forwarded stuff too. I've oftened found the rumour forwarded to me there, and then replied that email with the link which disproves it." )
Thank you for sharing that information, Theodwyn.
By the way, most of these forwarded stuff are sent from people when they are at work. Are you working now or forwarding those pesky e-rumours?
10 comments:
hmm..agree with you about impersonal forwarded messages. there is such a thing as 'cyber ettiquete' and (to me at least) one should only forward messages if names of recipients are in b.c.c - not everyone wants their personal email addresses displayed to the rest of the world.
hey, i would love to hear your thoughts on TRUST.
Hello Ms J, welcome back. Nice to see you again. I will go back to your blog and give my two-cents worth on trust.
In the meantime, I fully agree with you on this cyber etiquette thing. When I do forward something nice, and the recipients are not in "b.c.c.", these are usually family members and friends who know each other. That way I hope they get this message-> "hey, I am already forwarding this to so-and-so, you do not have to do it again." Hopefully I don't get it back either!
Most of the time, I try to remind myself to use "b.c.c." for individuality and privacy.
yeah, i know what you mean. i receive a lot of those stuff on a daily basis too. i used to read them and bomb my friends's inbox with it. but since i started blogging, such act has stopped.... to the extend some friends actually asked if i am ok... how come no forwards... haha!
as for your comment on generations of horny ang moh... haha... i was only joking... no worries Jacq.
Hey Zewt, at first I thought you were joking about that horny issue. Then I said I'd better not take chances and "stroke" you a bit. You know ..."sorry lah dear". Glad you were joking.
Anyway, I used to have trigger-happy fingers when it came to forwarding e-rumours. Now, if I remember, I check first before bothering other people with it. ;)
Heh.. I agree with you about forwarded emails. And those warnings get really annoying sometimes. There's another website (http://www.snopes.com/) which verifies these forwarded stuff too. I've oftened found the rumour forwarded to me there, and then replied that email with the link which disproves it.
Love inspirational messages though, especially those with cute sweet pictures!! Can't get enough of them!!
Theodwyn, thank you for the website address that verifies e-rumours. I will add that to my posting.
Cheers!
j.t...:)
i once blasted somebody for including my work email in a group forwarded email. When i invested in unit trust funds, they asked for email address and i gave my work email. Then they forwarded emails to group - and i can see people from many companies - many whom i know - and it just wasn't right becoz the privacy need to be respected. I did not want the whole worled to know i was investing....
but like u - i enjoy receiving forwarded emails on my private email address.....so, pls guys and gals include idham_blog@yahoo.com in all emails u want to forward...
i prefer humour, inspirational and news flash.
arif.
J.T,
Your writing is hilarious. I am entertained. Thank you very much and thanks also for the informative bits of this posting
Good day JT
I hate junkmails too and i dont care much too for jokes forwarded to mass recipients. I try not to forward mails unless it is work related.
Arif, I am with you on that point - privacy needs to be respected.
I once had this email from a stranger. He took the liberty of using the list of names from a friend we have in common (Charlie) to send out his email protesting and slamming a foreign government. It was full of hatred. It was potentially damaging for me given the nature of my husband's job at that time.
Needless to say, he had a very strong-worded email from me and Charlie.
Elviza - hello again and thanks for the compliment. You made my day. By the way, I am a WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get. :)
Kak Teh - Another thing that irritates me about those forwarded emails (regardless of its nature) are those arrows and lines - evidence of its multiple travel in cyberspace. Makes the email look untidy. Oh, don't mind me... just like to see things organised.
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