CHAIN OF FOOLS

I get lots of chain letters, almost daily in fact. Who doesn't? Oftentimes I have to delete the damn thing before I'm tempted to reply to the sender, "Are you out of your freakin' mind? Just because your friend sent this doesn't mean it's true!"

You know which ones I'm talking about. The ones that promise money or gift certificates from the owner of the Gap or Victoria's Secret (a quick google look-up, by the way, will show that a man named "Les" -- and not a woman named "Victoria"-- controls the lingerie chain) if you send the email to as many people as you know. Or the hateful ones that just won't die -- for instance, that the apparel giant designer Tommy Hilfiger supposedly won't sell to African-Americans or that radio DJ Art Bell discriminates against Filipinos. People should really spend a few extra seconds thinking before passing on damaging information like this. Or better yet, click on sites that discuss internet hoaxes and urban legends. You can also bookmark this site for a list of links that can help you figure out if you're merely being duped before you waste someone else's time.

Recently a friend sent me a chain letter asking for money to help out a dying little girl (I can't remember where she was from, but suspect it was from an impoverished nation). Predictably, the last paragraph begged the reader to send assistance and pass along the email to as many people as possible. But then it threatened that if one did otherwise, "what goes around comes around." A couple of minutes later, one of the recipients on the distribution list -- my friend's cousin -- replied to all, "How can I help?" Sweet thing, but I had to sit on my hands so I wouldn't type back: "Don't pass this on, that's what!" I mean really, who begs for assistance and threatens retribution in the same sentence? Someone not worth helping, at least in my book.

My friends especially like to send me chain letters of a religious nature, even if they know that I'm agnostic (or perhaps that's why they choose to send these to me -- they're hoping I'll find the proof I'm looking for contained within the email's lines). I prefer to believe they do this out of genuine love and affection for me, so I simply delete these without replying back and allow them to bask in the glow of having done something good. But when a letter tries to intimidate me by saying that unless I pass it on and thereby break the chain, then something bad will happen to me, I start to wonder about the friend who sent it in the first place.

I begin to wonder if the friend routinely forwards email messages without reading them carefully. If she always does what she is told to do. If he has faith or is simply superstitious. Or if he really thinks Jesus or the Virgin Mary will smite him if he doesn't pass on a stupid letter one bored person decided to write one day to see how far it would or could go. And then of course I wonder if my friend is simply stupid for believing his entire fate or future depends on a click of a key.

Although I have to admit that in one particular case, my life changed because of a chain letter I received. It was from a friend who was passing on that infamous Tommy Hilfiger hoax to all her friends and relatives, enjoining all of us to boycott the brand. Although I've never bought anything from the line -- not because of the rumors but simply because I've just never liked any of his stuff enough to pay for it -- I sent a reply to "All" explaining how this story was not the least bit true and included links to credible news items disproving the contents of the email.

Someone then replied back to me. I married him two years later.

Comments

[Trish]

Hey Gigi --

send me the email from the Tommy H. hoax -- maybe one of the guys that reply to me will be the one I marry. HAHA...

[K]

I thought the Tommy Hillfiger was really true?

[John]

I stop reading emails altogether after I received that disgusting Britney Spears peek-a-boo photos from an acquaintance. Saves me plenty of nightmares.

[Gigi]

Trish - Haha, that's really funny! But with the way things have been going for you lately, you don't need any help from me (or anyone). :)

K - No it's not. It's essentially the same story that's been going around (AKA industrial sabotage). In the 80s it was Liz Claiborne who was the contrabida naman. The connecting thread is the storyline and that the protagonists were successful and making lots of money.

John - I've never seen it, but I know what you mean. Am not keen on seeing any of Britney's bits (or Lindsey's or Paris' for that matter). Nightmares, huh? :)

[Anna]

This is one of my MAJOR pet peeves. I especially hate the Hate-mongerers who pass on the Tommy Hilfiger and Art Bell hoaxes. By the way, when I first got the Art Bell one years and years ago, I emailed him and guess what? His wife is Filipino.

But just as badly I can't stand those who send these emails to their entire mailing list, then when someone informs them it is a hoax, they don't bother to forward the new information to those they emailed in the first place.

[Connie]

And I thought that 2 friends who fell in love via YM were pretty cool. Your story's cooler. :)

[Gigi]

Anna - Sanme pet peeve here! I mean, I know they're embarrassed and all, but why keep the misinformation alive?

Connie - Thanks! I guess some good things do come out of doing good eh?