Jonathan Haas wrote:

*lol*  I'm glad to see there're such stupid people left in the world.
People who would rather go browse a web page trying to make something
look bad than to partake "*very* quick"ly in passing along some
encouragement to others.

You want to know what stupidity is, pal? I'll tell you what's stupid.
Stupid is seeing a *chain letter* that allegedly comes from a legitimate
charity and assuming it's for real without performing even a cursory
check. Stupidity compounded is forwarding that chain letter to a mass
distribution list. 

Stupidity is sending a letter which tells people to live life to it's
fullest and enjoy every moment we have, as some people aren't so lucky. 
Stupidity is trying to get money donated to a worthy cause even though
you may be unsuccessful.  

(To everyone reading this on the FFML, I apologize
for my own non-fanfic posts here. This will be the last one. I felt that
"Odysseus"'s post deserved a reply.)

*lol*  As does yours.  :)  
 

I think that, whether it was fake or whether it was real, the fact
that
so many people wanted to help was wonderful.  I myself, was certainly
not upset to receive that mail, nor was I upset to invest 2 minutes of
my time to continue it.  I suppose that rather than investing 2
minutes
of _your_ time to help a little girl, you prefered to invest it trying
to expose the letter.  Glad too see people of this world are so
pessimistic when it comes to helping others.

Believe it or not, email doesn't just take time, it also costs money.
Sending data over networks costs money. The cost for your average email
is a fraction of a penny, but when you multiply that by the millions of
people an Internet chain letter inevitably reaches, you start getting
into real money. I'd wager this particular email has cost at least four
figures... money which, maybe, could have gone to a real cause rather
than being wasted.

*lol*  You thought I didn't know that?  *lolololol*  Now _that_ is
stupidity.  And yes, it may have built up a fair amount of money.  But
it didn't hurt anyone.  Because as you said, it only cost a fraction of
a penny.  That real money of which you speak has not been subtracted
from any particular organization's finances.  Just because it rains,
does not mean you will drown in the water.  
 

I have no problem with helping little girls. I have a *serious* problem
with *fraudulent* attempts to help little girls. And yes, I'm much
happier with two minutes invested exposing a fraud for what it is than
with two minutes spent perpetuating and compounding that fraud.

How pessimistic.  But what you don't seem to understand, is that even if
no little girl is being helped, the ACS is getting more publicity, and
people are being reminded what a gift of life they have.  I used to send
out mail to anonymous ppl w/o putting a return adress on it in the most
depressing time of winter, telling them to have a really nice day.  I
guess that makes me stupid for spending that 32 cents.  I mean, God
forbid we spend a microscopic amount of money to cheer someone up. 
*shudder*  The idea itself just makes me want to puke!
 

Look, that letter cost you practically nothing to receive, and if you
didn't like it, then you shouldn't have paid any attention to it.

It cost me practically nothing to receive, that's true. How much has it
collectively cost all the people who received it?

And tell me, that collective cost, who's it hurting?  NO ONE!  No one
was hurt by spending practically nothing!  So what if there's a
collective cost?  All anyone is paying is a "fraction of a penny". 

You know what?  There are stores called book stores just _filled_ with
fictional material.  We're spending billions and billions on that
fiction!  I think that a great crusader such as yourself should go warn
the public what a waste that is!  You must warn the public how we're
being hurt by this!  
 

The next time I receive it, I'm still going to pass it on, simply
because it
sends a message that there are people out here who care.

By intentionally and knowingly passing on a message which illegally
claims to be representing the American Cancer Society, you are guilty of
a crime. You may wish to consider that before you do so.

*lol*  Yeah right.  And who's gonna turn me in?  And moreso, who's gonna
prove it?  I mean, for one thing, _you_ won't know if I ever pass it on,
and those that do won't ever know that I ever heard from you. 
*lololol*  That was the stupidest thing you've said yet.  *lolololol*  
 

P.S.  Do you really think that this message will be fwded around more
than the chain letter you despise?

God, I certainly hope not. You'll note that I included *no* instructions
to forward that letter.

Oh, I see, so by telling the people here you've effectively eliminated
the threat of the chain letter.  Good for you.  *pats JSH on the back*
 

People send that out of love -- I
don't think there will be as many people sending this simply to spite
something.  You've made no difference in the course of that chain
letter
whatsoever.  It shall continue to go round and round the web spreading
hope to people who need it, and I, for one, shall help it do so.

If you really want to send hope, don't make the utterly meaningless
gesture of forwarding a bogus chain letter. Send a few bucks to the
American Cancer Society. I do, every year, in honor of my mother, who
perished from a form of cancer that was mostly incurable back in 1973,
but which is now virtually always cured when caught early, thanks in
part to the research sponsored by the ACS. That way, you'll make a
*real* difference, rather than an empty act that gives you false
contentment.

Part of my paycheck is automatically sent to United Way each week.  I
make a *real* difference just as much as you do.  I'm sorry that you're
only willing to give in money, rather than in support as well.  And that
false contentment is in no way false.  I am very pleased to be sending a
message that reminds us how precious life is.  Be it fiction or
non-fiction, anything that reminds us of what a gift we have is worth
being shared.  
 

--JSH

-- 
Odysseus
*grin* - © 1997 odysseus-san inc.