Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site opus.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!hao!nbires!opus!rcd
From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Telephone mailing lists
Message-ID: <152@opus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-Oct-85 03:15:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.152
Posted: Thu Oct 24 03:15:14 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Oct-85 04:36:37 EDT
References: <1042@mtuxo.UUCP> <1468@teddy.UUCP>
Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
Lines: 42

On harrassing telephone solicitors:
> I was once a telephone solicitor (actually a surveyor, but it the same idea).
> Most of the people who work at these jobs are poor or uneducated.
> They make close to the minimum wage, and work under pretty lousy conditions.
> They are under tremendous pressure to get sales (or surveys).

Bad conditions are unfortunate, but not in the least germane to the
subject, which is the nuisance effect of the calls.

> These people generally work at such places because they have to, not because
> they enjoy annoying people.  Beleive me, those calls they make are hurting them
> a lot more than they are hurting you.

Let's see...they're making money to annoy me...and they're suffering more?
B.S.  I'll accept it when I get paid for junk calls, with a bonus for when
they interrupt something important or tie up my phone when I'm expecting a
useful call.

> If someone calls you up and you're not interested, please just say so
> politiely...

Even though they're being as rude as can be to me...

> ...There's really no reason to extend the suffering of these
> individuals...

Their "suffering" is not my problem.  I didn't ask them to annoy me.  If
they do, they're at a bad point to ask me for sympathy.  (I'm sorry, Mr.
Dunn, I don't really want to rob you, but my boss says it's necessary for
me to make a living.  Please put your hands in the air or I'll be forced to
shoot you...not that I want to, mind you.)  Oh, CRAP, does ANYONE in this
rapidly-becoming-second-rate-nation believe one iota in personal
responsibility?!  The callers can either try to find an honest job or they
can develop a thick skin about what they're doing.

>...BEING OBNOXIOUS TO THEM WILL NOT STOP THEM FROM CALLING.

That's the only REALLY good argument so far against being obnoxious--that
it doesn't work!
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...At last it's the real thing...or close enough to pretend.