Now, I’m not actually blogging about Rumsfeld just for the sake of it. I just needed to give the following rant a little context. You see, lately, I have added another pet peeve to my rather large collection of neuroses. Falling under the category of “people who think they are funny, but indeed, are not” comes the increasingly annoying gaffe of hitting reply all to a mass email, when writing a quick retort intended for the person who sent the email.
Take for example, the following email chain I was lately subjected to, along with about 83 other people at my company (names have been changed to protect the innocent).
Subject: Oh Happy Day
Town Crier: RUMSFELD IS STEPPING DOWN! ONE DOWN TWO TO GO.
Democrat Dan: there IS a God!!
Captain Bringdown: No, there isn't a god. The problem in America is the American people. The average American is rather dumb and holds false beliefs. The problem is that, half of America is dumber than that. Rationality will win in the end.
Democrat Dan: Way to be optimistic [Captain Bringdown]!
Sadly Not Me: Unsubscribe
Anonymous Annie:
Self Righteous Bob: Yes, there is a god, and he better see [Captain Bringdown] on Sunday.
Hopefully Ironic Ian: I am certain [Captain Bringdown] meant the average 'merican that voted for G.W. Bush are rather dumb and dumber. RUMSFELD RULES! GO Arnold! woooohhooooo!
Johnny Afterthefact (responding to “there is a god”): and her name is nancy.......
Jesse Jokester: No, Nancy is the tranny just outside the back door. HA!, HA!, HA!
Levity Larry: No, that is Mancy. Sweet fellow. Cheap too.
Levity Larry: No, that is Mancy. Sweet fellow. Cheap too. [because once wasn’t enough, he had to send it twice]
So, this is what has been cluttering up my email box all day. I try to delete them as fast as I get them, but I had to step into a meeting, and I came back to 7 of these reply all messages that have nothing to do with anything, especially not official work purposes. But I think the part that irks me the most, is this Captain Bringdown character. His argument doesn’t make any sense to me at all. "Rationality will win in the end"? Doesn't that go against every thing he just said about people being dumb, and therefore presumably irrational? Does this mean that he is a Rumsfeld supporter? That seems to go against his claim for rationality too. I'm terribly confused by his disbelief in belief but believing in rational belief. And if Ironic Ian is right, and he meant Bush supporters are dumb, then that makes even less sense, since the Democrats seems to have spoken pretty loudly over the last two days.
Yes, even worse than the bad jokes and people who laugh at their own emails (seriously, Jesse, it wasn’t that funny), is the sinful pride that every single person in your office building is interested in hearing your political self-righteousness. And yes, some might say writing a blog commits a similar sin, but at least I’m not cluttering up your inbox with my incessant whining. ☺
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